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THE NEW 

ABERYSTWYTH GUIDE. 



THE NEW 

ABERYSTWYTH GUIDE 



WATERS, BATHING HOUSES, PUBLIC WALKS, 

AND AMUSEMENTS; 

Including Historical jSTotices and general Information, 
CONNECTED WITH 

THE TOWN, CASTLE RUINS, RIVERS, HAVOD, 
THE DEVIL'S BRIDGE, 

And all Places of Note or Interest adjacent. 



EMBELLISHED WITH A MAP AND TWO VIEWS. 

BY Ti J. LLEWELYN P RICHARD^ 

Author of " Welsh Minstrelsy," &:c. 



' Away, 3'e gay landscapes ! y& gardens of roses ! 

In you let the minions of luxury rove ; 
Give me the rocks where the snow-flake reposes. 

Though still thej^ are sacred to freedom and love : 
England ! thy beauties are tame and domestic, 

To one who has roved on the mountains afar; 
Oh ! for the crags that are wild and majestic, 

The cataracts of Cymru and Alpine heights rate! 

BYRON.— adapted. 



ABERYSTWYTH : 

Printed for and Sold by Lewis Jones, Bookseller, 
and Sold at Cranston's Library ; 

SOLD ALSO, IN LONDON, BATH, CHELTENHAM, SHREWSBURY, 

BIRMINGHAM, WORCESTER, HEREFORD, BALA, 

AND CARMARTHEN. 

189 i. 



3 An 45 



ENTERED AT STATIONERS' HALL. 







Printed by J. Cox, Aberystwyth; 



^r^ 



¥t 



TO 

MRS. COUTTS, 

AS A PUBLIC TRIBUTE OF RESPECT, 

THIS WORK, 

DESCRIPTIVE OF ABERYSTWYTH AND ITS 
VICINITY, 

IS DEDICATED, 

BY HER OBEDIENT HUMBLE SERVANT, 

T. J. LL. PRICHARD. 



PREFACE. 



The Author^ Editor^ or Compiler^ of a 
Work like this^ can at best^ claim but 
the meed of industry to collect, and 
taste to arrange ; which humble credit 
is beyond the pretensions of the pre- 
sent labourer at the task. It would be 
uncandid to pass over unnoticed the 
circumstance of a former Aberystwyth 
Guide having existed ; and the praise of 
having brought forward the first thing 
of the kind in the town^ is due to the 
Author. But the great and favourable 
changes that have taken place in Aber- 
ystwyth in the course of seven years^ 



Vlll 

rendered such a work of no service to 
me in the formation of this. I have had 
my materials to collect elsewhere^ and 
I trust they will be found ''fashioned to 
the varying hour ;" for which I have to 
thank many individuals at Aberystwyth^ 
for their polite, ready, and useful, com- 
munications. But enough — -Prefaces 
are very rarely read at all — so much the 
better — as they are generally but the 
flimsy vehicles of egotism and cant — 
and this perhaps, is no exception to the 
multitude of those impertinent epistles : 
therefore the sooner it be brought to a 
close, the more desirable — so here it 
ends. 

T. J. LL. P. 

Aherystwyth. June, 1824. 



CONTENTS. 



The Town of Aberystwyth, Inns, &c 1 

Historical Notices of the Town of Aberystwyth 5 

The Market , . 6 

The Marine Terrace, Lodging Houses, &c 8 

The Assembly Rooms 13 

Ball and Promenade Room 14 

Reading Room ib. 

Card Room ib. 

Billiard Room ib. 

Rules and Regulations 15 

The Church, and other Places of Worship li> 

Schools. — The National School 21 

Ladies' Boarding School 22 

Grammar School ib. 

The Castle Ruins ib. 

Historical Notices of Aberystwyth Castle 23 

Prospect from the Castle Ruins 28 

The Sea, Cantrev y Gwaelod, &c 30 

A short History of the Lowland Hundred inundated by the 

Sea (a translation from a Welsh Manuscript) 35 

The Ystwyth 39 

The Rheidol 44 

The grand and tremendous Fall of the Rheidol 47 

The Havod Arms .- i5. 

The Devil's Bridge 49 

The awfully sublime Falls of the Mynach 50 

Pl^nt Mat 51 

Formica Herculanea 52 



1 



Plas Crug, or the Palace of the Rheidol 53 

Aberystwyth Harbour 55 

The Trade of Aberystwyth 5(5 

The Chalybeate Waters 58 

The Properties, &c. of the Chalybeate Spring 59 

Sea Bathing. — On the Warm Bath 60 

On the Cold Bath 66 

The Marine Baths described 72 

The Cold Plunging Bath 73 

The Shower Bath ib. 

The Vapour Bath ib. 

The Warm Bathing House 75 

Bathing Machines ib. 

Llanbadarn vawr 76 

Historical Notices of Llanbadarn vawr 81 

Walks. — Craiglais to the Vale of Clarach 88 

Machynlleth Road 89 

Walk by the Rheidol ib. 

The Beach 90 

Pen yr Anchor 91 

Rhyd y Velin 92 

Pendinas Hill 92 

Drives or Rides by Country Seats. — Towards Borth 

Sands. — Penglaise 96 

Cwra Cynvelin 97 

Gogerddan ib. 

Borth Sands 99 

Through Llanbadarn, &c The Vicarage House .. ib. 

Midway House ib, 

Vronvraith 100 

Glanrheidol ib. 

By Castle Hill, &c. — Crugiau 101 

Aberllolwyn ib. 

Morfa ib. 

Abermayde ib. 

Castle Hill 102 

Llidiadau ib. 

Crosswood ib. 

Nanteos 103 

Llaniron 104 



XI 



Valuable Pebbles to be found on the Beach 105 

Angling 106 

The Races 109 

The Welsh Potosi, or Cardiganshire Mines - 1 10 

Havod 118 

Cumberland's Description of Havod 120 

Strata Florida, or Ystrad Flur Abbey 125 

The Teivy 129 

Cilgerran Castle 131 

The Salmon Leap 132 

The Beaver 134 

The Otter 139 

Coracles 140 

Further Historical Notices of Aberystwyth Castle 142 

Further Historical Notices of Plas Crug 145 

Taliesin's Grave 155 

Remains of Antiquity discovered at different periods 

near Aberystwyth 165 

Concluding Remarks. —Welsh Trowsers 179 

A Theatre at Aberystwyth 183 

Extortion in Lodging-Houses 185 

On the Names of Streets, &c. at Aberystwyth . 188 

Medical Men 191 

Dispensaries ib. 

Solicitors ... - 2^. 

Magistrates • • ib. 

Post-Office ib. 

Coaches, &c 192 

A correct Table of Distances of different Places of Note 

from Aberystwyth 193 



THE NEW 



ABERYSTWYTH GUIDE. 



Considering the wonderful gifts of nature 
to this favoured spot, it is a matter of astonisli- 
ment that it has so long remained in compa- 
rative obscurity. 

It is impossible on entering Aberystwyth, to 
catch the first glimpse of it, unaccompanied 
with the most vivid sensations of wonder and 
delight. It lies embosomed between its foster- 
ing hills, in a sweet valley, threaded by the 
Rheidol, close to the margin of the sea. Unlike 
the tame and monotonous scenery that cha- 
racterizes many Watering Places, Beauty and 



Variety seem the twin Goddesses of tlie place ; 
or, if a tliird be admitted, the presiding Deity 
of the bracing breeze, bright-eyed Health, 
completes the trio. The very rivers have dis- 
tinct characters of their own — their impetuous 
rushing rapidity, forms an animated contrast to 
the drawling dullness of the champaign stream, 
that seems to slumber in its heavy course. 
Whenever a bold feature of originality in the 
adjacent scenery, strikes the eye of the visitor, 
the presumed harshness of its intrusion, is 
immediately softened by the milder charm 
of fertility and verdure, reposing, as it were, 
on the bosom of comparative barrenness, and 
arrayed in all the enchanting wildness of the 
picturesque. Thus, whether viewed from the 
towering height or flowery slope, we are at 
once greeted with the commingled or alternate 
beauties of hill and dale, wood and river, 
charmingly variegated with sudden or gradual 
acclivities, and gentle descents ending in the 
level walk. In other views, we are presented 
with the pre-eminently grand prospect of the 
expansive bay of Cardigan, where, far as the 
stretch of human optics, the horizon is closed 
by sky and water, and to a great extent by the 
Alpine wonders of Wales, described at large in 



another part of this work. In addition to the 
gratification derived by the invalid, or the 
votary of taste and pleasure, Aberystwyth and 
its vicinity, with their mineral treasures and 
salubrious springs, give ample scope for the 
study of the Philosopher and Philanthropist, 
the Physician, the Chymist, and the Mineralo- 
gist: while the hoary vestiges of antiquity, 
associated with its historic records, afford 
abundant matter for the lucubrations of the 
Moralist. 

Aberystwyth is 208 miles from London, situ- 

ntc at the cuiifluence uf the • ivcis Ystwyth tind 
Rheidol, opposite the centre of Cardigan Bay. 
It derives its name from the Welsh word 
^^Aber," which implies " the junction of two 
rivers," and "Ystwyth," which means "Pliant," 
a characteristic appellation in allusion to the 
frequent winding curves of the stream. 

As the town is situate on the banks of the 
Rheidol, and not of the Ystwyth, its name 
would more properly be "Aberheidol;" but 
the reason of its present designation is ex- 
plained, under the head of "Historical Notices 
of the Town of Aberystwyth." 
a2 



It is at present, the largest town in Cardi- 
ganshire. All former visitors admit that it is 
improving yearly. The roads, which ought 
to be the first consideration of those who wish 
to carry on improvements, have, for a few years 
past, been made equal to the best in England ; 
and the pleasant drives afforded by those in 
the immediate vicinity of the town, are not the 
least of its comforts. The great influx of 
strangers who visit in the season, continually 
increasing, has caused a considerable number 
of houses to be built, and some in a style oi 
superior elegance. Here are three good Inns. 

^t>^ T«lliof. anrl fTOo-prrlrlan Arms, iii T^Hrk- 

gate Street, and the Old Black Lion, in Bridge 
Street. A handsome Assembly Room has been 
lately built; and a Theatre, long in anticipation, 
is about to be erected. Here is a Townhall, 
with a Market-place beneath, but the continual 
growth of the town has rendered it necessar}^^ 
to build a new one, which has very happilj 
been accomplished, on an extensive scale, 
much to the credit of the projectors, to whose 
public spirit the town is greatly indebted. H 
bids fair to rival the first of the English Ma- 
rine Bathing Towns. A portion of the histori- 
cal notices of Aberystwyth is intermixed with 



those of the Castle, which the reader will find 
under that head : however, there are some that 
claim an exclusive place, and stand as follow. 

Igi^tDrical Motict^ of tfte Cotpn of 

Aberystwyth is governed by a Mayor, Re- 
corder, Common Council, &c. and, in conjunc- 
tion with Cardigan and Lampeter, sends a 
representative to Parliament. It was anciently 
named "Llanbadarn Gaerog," or the "Forti- 
fied Llanbadarn;" and the small village of 
Aberystwyth stood to the westward of the 
Castle, on ground now covered by the sea ; 
therefore it is not at all improbable, but that 
the Rheidol emptied itself, at some distance 
from the ocean, into the Ystwyth, on the banks 
of which river the ancient village must have 
stood, as no other circumstance could have 
existed to justify the name of Aberystwyth. 
When the present designation was adopted is 
uncertain, but in the writings respecting it 
in the time of Queen Elizabeth, it is every 
where termed Aberystwyth. 

Part of the town walls, until lately, were 
A 3 



6 



standing, and miglit be seen between the house 
of Lady Caroline Price and the Custom-house, 
and again near the House of Correction, but 
of -which, not the slightest vestige now re- 
mains. There were many gates, forming the 
outlets of the town, which even now give name 
to different streets, marking the spots where 
they once stood : one was in the street leading 
to Llanbadarn, called "Dark Gate," another in 
the street opposite to the Baptist chapel, called 
" Little Dark Gate ;" and another opposite to 
the Bridge. The walls formerly went from 
this last to the Lime-kiln, near the Castle, 
where it joined it on the other side of the 
gate, by the Mill Stream to Great Dark Gate, 
thence to Little Dark Gate, and from thence to 
the site of the Custom-house and Lady Price's, 
and thence to the Castle. The turnings, and 
attempts to turn the course of the Rheidol and 
Ystwyth, have been various, a detail of which 
would afford no interest. The present chan- 
nel of the Ystwyth, was formed in order to 
clear the bar, at the entrance of the Harbour. 

With the growth and increasing demands of 
the town, the supply of the market has kept 



pace, so much so, as to cause the necessity for 
the new Market-place, which is just finished. 
Its measurement is 104 feet in length, and 31 
feet in breadth. Here are two markets in every 
week : one on Monday, for butter, cheese, 
fruit, &c. ; and the other on Saturday, for 
meat. Meat is also, in a smaller degree, sold 
on the former market day. 

The first Monday after the 12th of Novem- 
ber, and the same in May, are called " Hiring 
Mondays," in Welsh "Dyddllun Cyvlogau;" 
and a vast number of persons meet here to 
hire servants, by ancient custom. 

The superiority and cheapness of the Welsh 
mutton, butter, and poultry, are proverbial, and 
well justified in the market of Aberystwyth. 

" The beef is good, the mutton better, 

" If England can produce such — let her."* 

The fish is less plentiful than it might be, on 
on account of the little encouragement given 
to the fishermen. 

It may be necessary to apprize the Visitors 
in their dealings at the markets, that there is 

* From the doggrel Latin verse of Ralph Higden. 



8 



this peculiarity in the weights and measures : 
fresh butter is sold eighteen ounces in the 
pound, and every thing else sixteen ounces. 
The measure is Winchester. By taking a pound 
or more of butter, they often allow five quar- 
ters (twenty ounces) to the pound, but no 
more than eighteen ounces can be demanded. 

LODGING HOUSES, &c. 

The first consideration with the Visitor of 
a Watering Place, is, generally, to secure 
agreeable Lodgings near the sea, with an eye 
to a conveniency for bathing as well as the 
gratification of a marine prospect; and in 
no town can these desires be more amply 
gratified, than in Aberystwyth, by engaging 
apartments on the Terrace. It is a sweet 
level space, situate on the margin of the sea, 
which Nature has formed a perfect crescent, 
and Art has embellished with light and ele- 
gant structures — houses which are inviting 
in appearance, and that for genuine comfort, 
beauty, and salubrity of situation, may vie 
with those in English towns of more mature 
celebrity. Each extreme tip of the crescent, 
or end of the Terrace, is bounded by con- 



trasting heights, tlie northern by Craiglais, 
or as it has recently been called, Constitution 
Hill, and the southern more distantly by the 
Castle Ruins ; both of which, though of difier- 
ent descriptions, possess very excellent walks, 
and have, as they well claim, separate notices 
under their respective heads. But our present 
object — and the principal Promenade at Aber- 
ystwyth — is the Marine Terrace ; which also 
contains the most handsome and commodious 
houses. From morning till noon, and later, 
the sea may be viewed from it, to considerable 
advantage, when covered with boats contain- 
in a* narfif»B of -nlfip en i-o Tulir* nn^Tf*. ann f»T10*a.0^ft 

with the boatmen for any desired space of time. 
In the evening, the whole concourse of the 
walking company are occasionally enlivened 
and regaled by a small military band, belong- 
ing to the county regiment ; which, with its 
many other attractions, renders the Terrace a 
very gay and pleasing scene, equally the fa- 
vourite of the votaries of Health, as those of 
Pleasure and Fashion. 

It would seem, as if the decayed celebrity of 
other places should undergo a kind of trans- 
migration, and a portion of their members gain 



10 



a new being, and live another life here. Thus, 
the market is removed from the once celebrated 
Llanbadarn-vawr, and the Custom-house from 
the Port of Aberdovey ; and they now form ne- 
cessary components to the rising consequence 
of Aberystwyth. 

The Custom-house stands on the south-west 
part of the Terrace, and makes the corner of 
Pier Street. It was erected in 1773, when the 
business was removed from Aberdovey. 

Above the Custom-house are two very com- 

ii'iodious houses called Mount Pleasant -, truo 

taste perhaps, may wish they were called by 
any other appellation — unless it were Mo ant 
Zion, Tabernacle Row, or Tribulation Walk; 
for as these designations occur in almost all 
towns where fanatics have a footing, so the 
dull and clay-cold spirit of imitation has her 
Mounts Pleasant, Prospect Rows, and Consti- 
tution Hills, in as many multiplied repetitions 
as the far-famed, ever-canted epitaph of " Af- 
fliction sore, long time I bore, &c." " But," 
quotes the less fastidious traveller, 

" What's in a name ? that which we call a rose, 
" By any other name would smell as sweet." 



11 



Yet, in spite of sweet poetry, and Juliet's 
sweeter lips that speak it, there's much in a 
name, " aye, marry is there !" and we still 
maintain, that Mount Pleasant would be much 
pleasanter under any less hackneyed distinc- 
tion. But to return — of these two houses 
one is private, the other a Lodging House, 
capable of affording accommodation to a large 
family, or divisible into various apartments. 

Above this house is a gateway, which admits 
to a walk in front of that unique and, beautiful 
pile, called the Castle House, which commands 
a gratifying view of the Ocean and Castle 
Ruins on one side, and of the Church, Assem- 
bly Rooms, and part of the town, on the other. 
It was erected by Mr. Uvedale Price, of Fox- 
ley Hall, Herefordshire, for his own private 
residence. It is a singularly handsome edifice, 
in the Gothic style, and of a castellated form, 
consisting of three octagonal towers, with a 
light and very elegant balcony on the side 
towards the sea. The building was, at one 
time, enveloped with ivy, and, it is the general 
opinion, has lost much of its original beauty 
by being more modernized, as the ivy has been 
torn away, and the outside walls, (which, in- 



12 



termixed with brick, are of the rough moun- 
tain stone, peculiar to this country,) stuccoed. 
It is now a Lodging House attached to the 
Talbot Inn.* On the Terrace are also two 
Bathing Houses, one, about the centre, distin- 
guished as the Warm Bath, the other, the 
Marine Bath, built among the rocks, at the 
northern extremity ; and on the beach, always 
ready with the attendant women, watching for 
occupants, are the Machines for Sea Bathing. 
It is an agreeable subject of reflection, while 
viev/ing the Marine Terrace, that a few years 
ago, the spot which it now occupies, was as 
void and noteless as any other low flat part of 
the coast. Tlie houses were built at difierent 
periods, and the Terrace began to show some- 
thing of its present form L. 1819 ; since which, 
the Promenade was constructed by a general 
subscription of the inhabitants. At the rate 
they have lately been forwarding new build- 
ings, it may be safely calculated, that in a few 

* "When I viewed this," observes the Rev. Mr. Evans 
in his tour, " with the dilapidated fragments of the time-worn 
buildingby itsside,! could not suppress a smile, and thought, 
if the heroes of antiquity could return, with what contempt 
they would survey this mimickry of the antique." But this 
pile, however trifling when compared with the massive gran- 
deur of ancient architecture, stands pre-eminent among the 
structures of the present day. 



13 



years the space will be completely filled; wlieii 
it will doubtless present a beautiful and light 
range of structures, superior, perhaps, to those 
of any Bathing Town in the principality of 
Wales. 

Nothing can more strikingly evince the en- 
terprising spirit which actuates certain liberal 
characters at Aberystwyth, than the sudden 
growth of many excellent and commodious 
buildings ; and more especially attractive to the 
votaries of taste and fasliion, that which gave 
existence to the Public Rooms, which stand 
on an open and elevated spot, commanding a 
fine view of the sea, and separated merely by 
the Church-yard from tliose delightful walks, 
the Castle Ruins. The building was erected, 
on a plan from Mr. Repton, an eminent London 
Architect, by subscription, at equal shares of 
ten pounds each. The town is indebted for 
the ground on which it stands, to the liberaiily 
of W. E. Powell, Esq. M. P. of Naoteos, Lord 
Lieutenant of the county, whose gift it is. 

Tlie Rooms were opened to the public on 

B 



14 



the first day of July, 1820. They consist of 
a very handsome 

BALL AND PROMENADE ROOM, 

forty-five feet by twenty-five, elegantly deco- 
rated with every characteristic peculiarity to 
distinguish a place of tlie most fashionable 
resort. During the day, and on those evenings 
when there are no Balls or Promenades, the 
Ball Room is used as 

A READING ROOM, 

which is supplied with a continual succession 
of London and Provincial Papers, Magazines, 
Reviews, and otlier Periodical Works. Next 
in rotation comes 

A CARD ROOxM, 

twenty-five feet by eighteen, communicating 
witli tlie Ball Room by folding doors, with 
a handsome central lamp, and decorations cor- 
responding with those in the Ball Room. And 
lastly 

A BILLIARD ROOM, 

the same size as the Card Room. Under the 
same roof there is a Dwelling House, with a 
bar, &c. to provide the Subscribers with 

REFRESHMENTS. 



15 

All impediments to the completion of the 
building are now removed, and it will doubt- - 
less be finished in course of this spring. Any 
further information respecting the Rooms will 
be found in the following 

UuU^ anti Megulaitiott0 

OF THE 

ABERYSTWYTH ASSEMBLY ROOMS. 

Robert Rathill, Esq. Master of the Ceremonies. 



FOR THE BALLS. 

The Master of the Ceremonies has a Ball iii 
the Season ; and a Subscription Book lies in 
the Reading Room for Visitors to insert their 
names, and enter their complimentary fee 
for the civility they expect to receive from 
him. A Ball will take place every Tuesday 
evening during the Season, the first dance to 
be called at nine o'clock precisely. Country 
Dances and Quadrilles alternately ; and a dance 
not to be called after one o'clock. 

SUBSCRIPTION FOR THE SEASON, 
Commencing in July and ending in October, (Ten Balls). 

£ s. d. 

Gentlemen 1 10 

Ladies 1 

b2 



16 



FOR ANY FIVE BALLS IN SUCCESSION. 

£ s d. 

Gentlemen 1 G 

L,a<lies 12 6 

NON-SUBSCRIBERS. 

Gentlemen 6 

Ladies 4 

TEA INCLUDED. 

As the utmost decorum is necessary in all 
Public Assemblies, a strict compliance with the 
following regulations is particularly requested: 

That no Servants be admitted. 

That no Gentlemen (Military excepted,) be 
admitted in boots. 

That all Ladies who go down a dance, do 
continue in their places till the rest have done 
the same. 

That Ladies will draw Tickets for places, as 
they come into the Room, which will be en- 
tered in a book, and by no means allowed to 
change them. 

That Ladies take their places at the bottom, 
after a dance is begun. 



17 



That the Master of the Ceremonies shall be 
supported in the execution of his office, by the 
Subscribers at large ; and any misbehaviour 
towards him, shall be considered as an offence 
to the company. 

The Master of the Ceremonies entreats those 
Ladies and Gentlemen whom he has not the 
honour of knowing personally, to afford him 
an opportunity of being introduced to them, 
that he may not be charged with want of atten- 
tion, if he should happen to omit visiting per- 
sons whom he may not be informed of, for want 
of this step being taken ; as it will not only be 
the means of preventing improper company 
entering the Rooms, but enable him to pay that 
attention and respect which he is ambitious 
and studious to shew to every individual re- 
sorting to this place. 

FOR THE PROMENADES AND READING. 

The Promenades commence the first Wednes- 
day in July, at one o'clock, and continue twice 
a week during the season. On Wednesdays 
the Welsh Harper attends, and on Fridays, a 
small Military Band and the Welsh Harp al- 
ternately. 

B 3 



18 



TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION TO THE ROOMS 

ANNUAL. 

£ s. d. 

Gentlemen 1 6 

Ladies 10 6 

FOR THE SEASON. 

Gentlemen 15 

Ladies 10 6 

QUARTERLY. 

Gentlemen 10 6 

Ladies 7 

FOR A FORTNIGHT, OR ANY LESSER PERIOD. 

Gentlemen 3 6 

Ladies 2 6 

No Papers, Magazines, Reviews, or other 
Periodical Works, allowed to be taken out x)f 
the Room. 

FOR THE CARD ROOM. 

That all Persons playing Whist, Quadrille, 
Commerce, or Loo, do pay Eleven shillings for 
two packs of Cards. Six Shillings for a single 
pack. 

No game at Hazard to be allowed. 

No Cards to be played after twelve o'clock 



19 

at night, except on Ball nights, when they will 
be permitted as long as dancing continues. 

No Person to play with Cards left by another 
Party. 

Ctie atfiuxtf^f antr otft^t IJlat^^ of 

The Church is a plain, unimposing structure, 
(not Gothic as generally described in Topogra- 
phical works,) but neat, and capable of accom- 
modating from seven to eight hundred persons. 
It measures in length, from east to west, sixty 
feet, and in breadth, twenty-six. It Avas built 
by subscription, in the year 1786, within the 
ancient precincts of the Castle. The Church 
is separated from the walks of the Castle Ruins 
by a stone wall, at the expence of tlie inhabi- 
tants. The Chiircli-yard partakes both of the 
plainness and neatness of the Church, and one 
(only one !) grave is decorated in the ancient 
Welsh fashion — that of having flowers planted 
over it, still very prevalent in many parts of 
Wales — an elegant and affectionate character- 
istic, and France has thought it worthy her 
adoption, in the beautiful cemeteries of Pere la 



20 

Chaise. In a recent publication, by a native 
of this country, the " Welsh Grave" is thus 
apostrophised. 

" Oh sweet's the Cambrian Peasant's grave, 
Bedeck'd with living flowers brave, 
That warm affection's fingers dress 
In all the charms of loveliness ! — 
Thou gem of modes I've paused upon, 
Till admiration's voice was gone ! 
And ardent thought's mute eloquence 
Its power could no more dispense — 
How can I truly speak of thee, 
That oft hast spoke so kind to me, 
Till tears adown my cheeks have ran. 
Ere years or thought proclaim'd me man ? 

Oh full of beauty soft and kind — 

Oh ever gentle and refined ! 

Oh full of dear warm hearted nature ! 

Amiability's best feature ! — 

Suggested first by pensive love 

And into being framed to move, 

Wert thou — so exquisitely bland I 

Dear custom of my native land. 

Thy sons — wherever born — have cried, 

While the gen'rous scene they eyed, 

' Oh beautiful ! in simple taste 

The Cambrian Peasant's grave is dress'd.' " 

" Welsh Minstrelsy." 

The Church is served by the Rev. Richard 
Morgan, Perpetual Curate, (relieved sometimes 
by Clergymen who are the occasional visitors 
of the town,) in the morning, in English ; 
and at three o'clock in Welsh. A sermon is 



21 



preached each time. In the evening, during 
the summer season, at six o'clock, prayers and 
a sermon, by the voluntary service of the Rev. 
Richard Evans, B. D. Yicar of Llanbadarn 
vawr, and sometimes by strangers. 

The other places of worship are, — a Baptist 
Chapel, in Baker Street ; a Wesleyan Method- 
ist Chapel, in Queen Street ; a Calvinistic 
Methodist Chapel, in Mill Street ; and an In- 
dependent Chapel, in Penmaes Glas. 

These Chapels are served by their respective 
Preachers. The Methodists, according to the 
rules of their establishment, are served by 
itinerant Preachers. The state of relis:ion at 
Aberystwyth is considered very favourable. 

Beyond the North Parade, near the Turn- 
pike, stands 

THE NATIONAL SCHOOL, 
for boys and girls, established in 1819, on Dr. 
Bell's plan : it was built by subscription, and 
is supported by voluntary contribution. 



.^^■ 



22 



A LADIES' BOARDING SCHOOL, 

of a very genteel description, under the super- 
intendance of Miss Owen, is situate in Queen 
Street. 

A GRAMMAR SCHOOL, 

capable of holding 150 children, is parted by a 
wall (which surrounds their play ground,) from 
the Church-yard. 

DAY AND SUNDAY SCHOOLS 

are very numerous at Aberystwyth. 

These are the most pleasant walks at Aber- 
ystwyth, being formed on a rock jutting into 
the sea, among the ruins of this once celebrated 
Castle ; the elevation of the ground, airy si- 
tuation, romantic appearance, fresh verdure, 
and tasteful arrangement of the walks, render 
it the most desirable promenade imaginable. 
The public are indebted for their occupation 
of this fanciful spot, decorated as it is, to the 
liberality, taste, and spirit, of the late Mr. 
Probart, of Shrewsbury, Steward to Earl Powis, 
who obtained it on a long lease from the late 



23 



Col. Johnes, M. P. of Havod, the then pro- 
prietor of the Castle. Mr. Probart had the wil- 
derness of rains converted to this delightful 
purpose, having made walks in the most judi- 
cious places, it soon became a choice promenade 
of the fashionables who retire to Aberystwyth 
during the summer season. 

A sketch of the historical notices of the for- 
midable Castle, (long an object of contention, 
and the scene of frequent warfare,) which once 
occupied this spot, cannot but be desirable to 
to those who pause with wonder on the massive 
fragments of its ruins. 



Jgi0torical Moiitt^ of ^htv^^m^tf^ 

Aberystwyth Castle, situated on a rock pro- 
jecting out into the sea, doubtless had an 
imposing, and most romantic appearance. Its 
situation was well chosen, before the invention 
of gunpowder made elevated places of more 
consequence, to protect the town from invasion 
by sea. Gilbert de Strongbow, son of Richard 
de Clare, having frequently petitioned of King 
Henry I. for leave to obtain some lands in Wales 



24 



was informed, that lie might endeavour to win 
and possess the lands and inheritance of Cad- 
wgan ap Bleddyn. This he accordingly set 
about, immediately collecting his forces, he 
landed in Cardiganshire ; and from the sud- 
denness of this unjustifiable, but in those times 
common, aggression of the Saxons and Nor- 
mans against the Welsh, he soon succeeded, 
and reduced the country to subjection. Thus 
Richard de Clare became Lord of Cardigan- 
shire, which his son Gilbert had subdued ; but 
soon after the death of Henry I. he fell a victim 
to the just resentment of the Welsh, by whom 
he was sacrificed in a wood called Coed Grono, 
in Monmouthshire, where he was accompanied 
by a minstrel and a singer, who played and 
sung alternately. After his death, Gilbert de 
Strongbow built two Castles, one in Pembroke- 
shire and the other at Aberystwyth, in the 
year 1109. It was of course the policy of 
this intruder, to embroil the native proprietors 
with the King of England, that his own house 
might be aggrandized by conquests and con- 
fiscations. The landing of Griffith ap Rhys, 
from Ireland, where he had been brought up 
from childhood, althougli with a claim to 
sovereignty in Wales, was the next cause of 



25 



warfare, in the year 1111. After various 
successes against Henry I. we hear of his 
advancing to Plas Crug,* a fortified mansion 
on the banks of the Rheidol, between Aber- 
ystwyth and Llanbadarn vawr, where he en- 
camped. Here he ventured to take same cattle, 
for the use of his army, out of some fields 
belonging to Llanbadarn church ; and lying 
within the precincts of that sanctuary, they 
were regarded as sacred.i This was an im- 
politic, though it might be a necessary, mea- 
sure, as it was likely to injure his reputation 
with his countrymen, by wounding their re- 
ligious feelings. He then proposed on the 
following day, to lay seige to the Castle of 
Aberystwyth. Ralph, the then governor, ac- 
quainted with his design, sent to Ystradmeirig 
castle for a reinforcement, which arrived in 
safety, during the night time. Ignorant of 
this, Griffith ap Rhys preserved no order 
among his troops, and, confident of success, 
he appeared before the place ; but being drawn 
into an ambuscade, his forces were defeated 
with much slaughter, and he himself compelled 
to quit that province. He fought, however, 

♦ This is pronounced Plaase Cr^eg^. f Vide Welsh 

Chron. p. 179. 



26 



with better fortune in the year 1135: for 
he took and razed the Castle, and slew the 
Normans and Saxons that were in Cardigan- 
shire. Some of those who escaped, fled by sea 
to England. Griffith then restored to the 
Welsh their lands and habitations, of which 
they had been deprived. This Castle was then 
reinstated by Cadwalader, second son to Grif- 
fith ap Cynan, Prince of Wales, who married 
Alice, daughter to Richard, Earl of Clare, 
Lord of Cardiganshire, and lived at the Castle 
of Aberystwyth. It was again destroyed by 
Owen Gwyneth, the eldest son and successor 
of Griffith ap Cynan, on account of his bro- 
ther's contumacy. It continued to experience 
all the vicissitudes of predatory warfare, al- 
ternately fortified and overthrown. It was 
demolished by Maelgwn* the usurper, as he 
feared he could not maintain it against Llewe- 
lyn, in 1208, though he had before fortified it. 
Notwithstanding this, Llewelyn rebuilt and 
garrisoned it. But in the 10th year of the 
reign of Edward I. Rhys, the son of Maelgwn, 
and Griffith Meredith, took it from Llewelyn, 
and retained it, till it fell into the hands of the 



* This name is pronounced Maelgoon. The Welsh w is 
like the English oo in "ffood." 



27 



English. King Edward I. rebuilt it in 1277, 
and returned to England in triumph. But 
the oppressions exercised by the rulers of the 
Marches, did not permit the peace, concluded 
between the Prince of Wales and the King of 
England, to continue. Among the successes 
of the Welsh, before their subjection to the 
English monarch, is to be numbered the splen- 
did capture of this newly erected fortress. It 
was afterwards, of course, given up to the 
Crown of England. In the year 1404, it was 
taken by Owen Glyndower, during one of his 
most vigorous campaigns. Three years after, 
Prince Henry, son of Henry IV. came against 
it, and took it upon articles ; but it was soon 
after retaken by Owen, through stratagem. 
In the following year, however, the English 
again took this castle. From the year 1408, it 
remained in the undisturbed possession of the 
English government. William Herbert, Earl 
of Pembroke, in the 35th of Henry VIII. had 
a grant of the office of Captain of the Castle 
and Town of Aberystwyth. It was beseiged 
and taken in the year 1647, by the Parliament 
forces, it having been garrisoned for King 
Charles I. in whose reign it had been used for 
c2 



28 



the purposes of a Mint,* by Mr. Bashell, servant 
of Sir Francis Bacon. A battery of cannon 
erected on the top of Pendinas hill by Crom- 
well, was the instrument of its last demolish- 
nient. Since that time it has been only a 
picturesque heap of ruins, the gateway, and 
several towers in the walls, alone marking its 
former extent. In the front of the gateway is 
a modern ravelin, thrown up during the seige 
in 1647 ; the rest of the building was the work 
of Edward I. This Castle was built in the form 
of an irregular pentagon, and double walled. 

i^ru^p^ct from tfft <^d0tl^ I^utn0« 

In a clear summer's day, the distant bold and 
striking scenery to be viewed from this ground 
are wonderful. It has even been asserted, that 
a slight view of Wexford (which is situate op- 
posite to Aberystwyth,) has been discovered in 

* By the Indenture for the coinage of money at this castle 
in 1037, 12th and 13th of Charles I. the value of money co- 
venanted by Mr. Bushell, to have coined at the Aberystwyth 
Mint, appears limited to five descriptions of coin, and were 
to have been of the following value : first 2s. 6d. second Is. 
third 6d. fourth 2d. and fifth Id. But it has been stated that 
pieces coined here to the value of 10s, and 20s. were in the 
possession of the late Col. Johnes, M. P. of Havod Ych-drud, 



29 



the sun's disk, previous to its setting. How- 
ever that may be, there is no situation south 
of Caernarvonshire, from which the Alps of 
Wales may be seen so advantageously, as 
from the Castle Ruins, Pendinas hill, or some 
of the vicine cliffs. In an unpublished Comic 
Poem, called " David Gwelym, the Welsh Don 
Juan," by the Author of " Welsh Minstrelsy," 
the following allusion is made to this subject. 

" I know the spot — it is a pleasant village, 

Near the pretty town of Aberystwyth, 
That stands by the country that the sea did pillage, 

Cantrev y Gwaelod,* which it made sad fist with ; 
Green hills and vales beverge it, of fair tillage. 

And distant views of Cader Idris blest with, 
The mighty Snowdon, (cali'd the Cambrian Alps,) 
And Mounts that wear mist turbans on their scalps." 

Canto I. Stanza IV. 

The lofty hills, which confine the estuary 
of the Dovey, and raise their broad backs far 
above the Cardigan Rocks, are surmounted by 
Cader Idris and its subject cliffs ; these are 
overtopped by the giant mountains of Caer- 
narvonshire ; among which, in clear weather, 
the sharp peak of Snowdon itself is discover- 
able, pre-eminently o'ertowering the surround- 
ing crags. 

* Vide the portion of this work under the head of " The 
Sea," for the particulars of the inimdatioii of this country. 

c 3 



30 



To the south of Aberystwyth, the coast of 
Pembroke being less curved, and not so lofty 
as the northern limit of the bay, the line of 
boundary appears more uniform, and gives 
tlie additional charm of variety, in the great 
contrast it affords, to the more bold and rugged 
scenery which closes the horizon. 

The coast is grand, and the marine prospect 
particularly tine. The rocks are lofty, black, 
and excavated. The layers of slate, in general, 
dip downwards, forming an angle with the sea 
of 135°; and the cliiis are, in every respect, 
of an opposite character to those of limestone, 
which line the coast of Pembrokeshire and 
Glamorgansliire. History and tradition yield 
ample records to interest and amuse, while 
viewing this beautiful expanse of waters. 

Almost every body, it may be said, is ac- 
quainted with the circumstance of the Earl 
of Godwin's estate being overflowed and de- 
stroyed by the sea; and that the only re- 
maining vestiges of its existence, except those 
contained in the page of the Historian, are 



*S5>. 



31 



the Godwin Sands. — And yet, a consideration 
of far greater moment, the inundation of Can- 
trev y Gwaelod^ or the Lowland Hundred, the 
most beautiful and populous district of Car- 
diganshire, is known to comparatively few, 
beside the Antiquarian and Welsh Scholar. 
The visitor of Aberystwyth, while parading 
the Terrace, Castle Ruins, or the vicine hills, 
as his eye wanders over the sea before him, 
which forms Cardigan Bay, gives the subject 
but an ordinary thought, unaccompanied with 
the associations almost peculiar to the native. 
But how will his wonder be roused, and his re- 
flections sublimed, when told that those waves 
roll over what v/as once a beautiful, thickly 
peopled, champaign country, containing six- 
teen fortified towns and cities, surpassing all 
in Wales, except Caerlleon, which is the Welsh 
name of Chester. In " The Land beneath the 
Sea," a Poem on that subject, in Prichard's 
" Welsh Minstrelsy," the lost country is thus 
figuratively apostrophized. 

" And thou art lost beneath the Waters ^- 
Once loveliest of Cymry's* daughters ! 

* This word is pronounced Cumree, the Welsh y when in 
the first syllable being sounded like an English u,and in the 
last syllable like ee or the English y terminating. 



32 

Thou flosculous aud fruitful fair one I 
The sun has wept his perish'd rare one. 
As weeps the heart-rent widow'd lover 
His chosen maid whose charms are over : — 
And never in his circuit ample 
Since has he seen so sweet a sample 
Of earthly charms — the pride of natnre ! 
So fine of form, so soft of feature — 
So comely in thy daily vesture 
Thou Beauty of the w inning gesture ! 
None who view'd, but quick approving 
Grew entranced, and yearn'd with loving I 
But thou art lost beneath the Waters — 
Once loveliest of Cymry's daughters. 

Thou wert salubrious and pure, 

The sweet-breath'd mountain was thy wooer. 

Thy Nymph-like form with bloom that sparkled 

His giant arms near semicircled — 

Whilst thou the coarse embrace defeating, 

To hoary Ocean down retreating^ 

A soft and trembling refugee ;; 

The sought Protector turn'd on theft 

Like a ruthless human daemon 

On a helpless, tearful woman ! 

And thou art lost beneath the Waters 

Once loveliest of Cymry's daughters. 

The Mountain mourns his buried loved on«, 

The wondering Earth's most sweet approved one 

And sighs afar the healthy gale 

O'er thy vast grave — long perish'd vale ! 

And thou whose robe with gems was shower'd. 

With every hue of beauty flower'd — 

That once did'st trip in virgin pride 

Full merry as a Peasant's bride, 

Yet gay, magnific, and august, 

E'en as an Empress great and just ; — 

Thou — once of youthful smile so vivid. 

Oh, now art lifeless, pale and iirid — 



33 

A grave of water's now thy home, 
Thy shroud, the niveous ocean foam — 
Yes — thou art lost beneath the Waters, 
Once loveliest of Cymry's daug^hters. 

So, to myself in thought I said. 

As o'er Pcndinas hill I stray'd. 

Gazing downward o'er the Bay, 

Pondering strangely to essay 

And trace the country waves had swallow'd 

In ages past — Canlrev y Gwaelod — 

For bright in Cambria's history 
Shines that beauteous level land. 
Now changed to water, stone, and sand, 

The Land beneath the Sea — 

The lawns at which the Stranger wonder'd. 

E'en Europe's gem, the Lowland Hundred.'* 

The Author of the " History and Antiqui- 
ties of the County of Cardigan," (to which 
excellent work we are much indebted,) after 
enumerating the towns, districts, &c. of Cardi- 
ganshire, says " There was formerly another 
hundred, called ' Cantrev y Gwaelod,' or the 
'Lowland Hundred,' now entirely covered 
with water ; the authority we have for this, is 
partly traditionary, and partly historical. The 
boundary of this country on the north-west, 
was, we are told, Sarn Padrig, or St. Patrick's 
Causeway, which runs out to sea, in a serpen- 
tine manner, about two and twenty miles from 
the coast of Merionethshire, about half way 
between Harlech and Barmouth. The coast 



34 



included between this Causeway and Cardigan^ 
bounded it on the north, east, and south sides; 
and a supposed line from Cardigan to the 
extremity of Sarn Padrig, formed its western 
limit. It seems to have been an extensive 
rich country, containing several towns, and its 
principal city is supposed to be Caer Wyddno, 
or Gwyddno's City. This Gwyddno was the 
last of its princes, and flourished from about 
460 to 520, the time of King Arthur. He was 
surnamed Giranhir, or Longshanks, and was 
a Poet." We refer the reader to the " Welsh 
Minstrelsy,"* for three specimens of the power 
of liis muse, extracted from the "Llyvr du o 
Gaervyrddyn," or " Black book of Caerauir- 
then," written as early, at least, as the begin- 
ning of the ninth century, as well as for the 
Historical Triad which particularly record this 
dreadful inundation. In addition to so much 
authentic information relative to Cantrev y 
Gwaelod, the Rev.Mr.Griffiths,of Llwyndyris, 
in this county, has an old Poem, compiled 
from, tradition, and probably with a little co- 
louring from the author, whose name is un- 
known.t The following is a translation of it. 

* Vide Notes to "The Land beneath the Sea." 

+ One of the characteristics of Welsh Poetry, is its fidelity 



35 



^ sftort Sji^tor^ of tije llotulantr |§un- 
trr^ij ittUtttrateU h^ tfie ^ea* 

The unrivalled hundred, the fertile plain, 
the pleasant populous district, with its gay 
celebrated city, sunk to the fathomless ca- 
verns of the deep. Mansua.^ matchless for its 
strength, its extent, and its antiquity, was the 
principal city, in this once populous region. 
The crystal river that meandered through the 
plain, saw Mansua's magnificent structures sha- 
dowing its banks, and extending from Harlech 
on the one hand, to Crickbeth on the other. 
What floating mirror ever reflected more beau- 
teous mansions ? Were not the two extensive 
towns on the confines of Patrick's miraculous 
causeway, like spacious kingdoms, for the num- 
ber of their buildings, and the multitude of 
their inhabitants ? And was the third town, 
that seemed to rise from the main, at Rugs* 

in narrating historical events. While other nations in their 
early Poetry, called in the aid of Giants, Fairies, and other 
extravagant fictions, the authentic record of reality was 
ever the favourite of the Cambrian Muse ; therefore, greater 
faith may be given to the Poem here quoted. 

* This word is pronounced Reegs, the Welsh u being 
sounded like the English ee. 



36 



Rocks, at the junction of the four streams, in- 
ferior to them in rank, or the fascination of its 
streams ? Mansua^ thy commerce exceeded 
the traffic of any two of these once celebrated 
and frequented market towns ! How is the re- 
mote antiquity of thy history lost in oblivion ? 
Was it the weight of thy merchandize, and 
thy riches that sunk thee so precipitately in 
the deep ? The verdant vale adorned by the 
elegant structures of Caeriolyn^ enchants the 
traveller no more ! And gloomy horror has 
succeeded to the once pleasing gaieties oiPen- 
Damon \ And next Caeriolyn in situation, 
and the next it in the dreadfulness of its fall, 
stood the once beauteous town o^ Almuda^ but 
its beauty could not calm the rage of Destruc- 
tion ! Its structures dissolved before the frowns 
of Desolation, like temporary fabrics of ice at 
the approach of the scorching verdure-destroy- 
ing season. But the names of these populous 
towns, and of the Mayor-governed town of 
Merlin, are scarce recorded in history. These 
once celebrated marts are now no more remem- 
bered ; the gloomy, lasting waters of oblivion 
have forever covered them ; and the throngs 
that once crowded their Fairs ! In the well- 
celebrated plain, once aspired to Heaven the 



37 



lofty towers of ten celebrated churches ; while 
seven more boasted the beauty of their sacred 
structures, at no remote distance, and rivalled 
them in their costly ornaments, and their pomp 
of public worship. Was it the purity of the 
devout worshippers' piety that preserved eight 
sacred fabrics from the rage of the waves ? 
eight sacred Heaven-preserved structures still 
standing, on the utmost extremity of the land, 
on the perilous borders of the deep. Must the 
veracity of the divine songs of antiquity be 
disputed ? or shall the eye of fancy be still di- 
rected to the spot, where once stood four times 
seven busy mills, or her ears be still stunned 
with the sound of their incessant motion, while 
the hand of Industry spared no pains to repair 
them, nor the streams of abundance to supply 
them ? Nor were the hundred ilax mills of 
the plain less busy, where the recoUective muse 
remembers the rural spinster, and the city 
housewife, with emulous industry, crowding 
for useful stores to supply the demands of art 
and ingenuity. For the chaste children of 
Health, Industry, and Ingenuity, on these 
peaceful plains slaked their thirst in three clear 
and exhaustless fountains, and seldom tasted of 
the bitter waters of repentance. What will not 



38 



the hand of Ingenuity be able to effectuate ? 
From the bosom of the sloping hills, the useful 
ore of lead, and four different species of excel- 
lent sulphur, were extracted in abundance. 
The world had now experienced many ex- 
traordinary vicissitudes, and its prosperous 
events had been succeeded by many an adverse 
fortune, when in that disastrous year the three 
tliousandth, five hundredth, and ninety-first 
from the creation, the fertile plains of the 
Lowland Hundred were covered with barren 
sands, and its fair causeways deformed by the 
incursions of the sea, whose swelling billows 
rose with irresistible strength, and baflled all 
human opposition. Gwrgan with the hushy 
heard^ had found his way to the throne, and 
began his precarious reign over the plains, 
and the fickle hand of Summer had strown his 
way with deceitful flowers ; but the scowering 
Winter that soon succeeded, dissipated them 
with its tempests, or covered them by its in- 
undations. From this disastrous period, till 
the year three thousand seven hundred and 
eighteen, from the era of the creation, the bil- 
lows bursting over their bounds, continued to 
encroach on the golden treasures of the plain ; 
the Fates soon spun out the thread of the 



39 



sinking kingdom's destiny ; and the days of 
Morgan were succeeded by the sable nights of 
Desolation. Fifteen ill-omened monarchs la- 
mented the falling powers of their line, and 
witnessed the fate-shaken honours of their pro- 
vince falling like the yellow withered leaf of 
Autumn, from Gwrgan to Morgan's dismal 
day, which terminated in the endless night of 
desolation. In his luckless reign, the bound- 
less plain was converted to a shoreless sea, the 
intermediate space between Penrhyn and the 
rocks of Aberglaslyn, can give but a faint idea 
of its length ; but some hasty notion may be 
formed of its spacious breadth, by casting the 
wandering eye over the main from Clogwyn 
to Patrick's sunken causeway, and its gloomy, 
judgment-struck habitation. 

Anonymous. 



The Ystwyth rises in the mountains from a 
Marsh ground, as Leland-says " owt of a Mares 
grounde caullid Blaine Ustwith, iii miles from 
Llangibike on Wy." The first river it receives 
is the Duliw, which rises in a mountain about 
a mile from Llyn Iwan ucha, one of the heads 
D 2 



40 



of the Merrin river. It separates part of Mont- 
gomeryshire from Cardiganshire, and continues 
to do so for about seven miles, and then turns 
into Cardiganshire. Here receiving a tribu- 
tary stream, about a mile and three quarters 
further on, it falls into the Ystwyth. At the 
confluence a very elegant stone bridge has 
been erected, at the expence of the late Mr. 
Johnes. The Ystwyth continues to flow be- 
tween tremendous mountains till it reaches 
Pentre Briwnant, where it receives the Briw 
brook on one side, and another stream on the 
other. It now approaches Havod, and is, of 
course, about to receive all the embellishments 
art can give to nature. Two streams, forming 
the eastern boundary of Havod, fail into ity 
one on the north and the other on the south side. 
In its passage through this delightful paradise, 
it meets with two more streams from the south, 
the westernmost forming the western boundary 
of Havod on this side of the Ystwyth. Over 
this part of the Ystwyth, the late Mr. Johnes 
erected another bridge. This is in the Moorish 
style. Half a mile below the last-mentioned 
stream, another, from the north, flows into the 
Ystwyth, about half a mile, on the other part of 
the western boundary of Havod. Having now 



4] 

quitted the confines of Havod, it continues its 
course, overhung by well wooded mountains, 
for half a mile further, where a neat stone bridge 
has been thrown across it, called Pont rhyd y 
Groes, about 200 yards to the west of which, 
another rivulet falls into the Ystwyth. This 
comes in a curvilinear course from the north, 
and has its rise near a village called Blaen 
Pentre. A little more than a quarter of a mile 
before it meets the Ystwytli, another rivulet 
falls into it, taking its rise not far distant from 
the other, and curving in an opposite direc- 
tion. This has two tributary streams. The 
Ystwyth now takes a southerly direction, and 
then turns again at nearly right angles, towards 
the west. Here it receives a brook called Nant- 
y-quarrel, or Quarry Brook, which divides its 
southern bank, and which flows in extent 
about three miles. The next object of notice 
on the Ystwyth is the romantic bridge of Llan- 
avan, which, like the others on this river, con- 
sists of a single arch, and is built of stone. 
About a mile and three quarters from tliis, it 
receives two brooks, whose mouths are exactly 
opposite to each other. The smallest comes 
from the north, and the other from the south. 
This last is called Crognant, and runs down 
D 3 



43 



the mountains between Llanwnws and Lledrod. 
The Ystwyth having made an angle just at the 
stream it met with, after flowing under Llan- 
avan bridge, runs towards the north-west ; and 
the next stream that falls into it after Crognant, 
comes from the westward. Just below this, is 
a ford, called Rhyd-y-ceir, used by people 
coming or going from Llanilar to Llanavan, 
Tiie northern bank of the Ystwyth is here 
adorned by the noble park and luxuriant 
farms of the Earl of Lisburne, called Cross- 
wood. A mile beyond the last stream comes 
another rivulet from the north-east, which ri- 
sing a little above Rhosrhyd ucha', comes down 
a valley called Cwm Magwyr, and about a mile 
from its embouchure receives a brook, about 
three miles in extent. About two miles further, 
the Ystwyth receives another rivulet from the 
north-east, which rises a little to the north of 
the high road from the Devil's Bridge to Aber- 
ystwyth, between the eighth and ninth mile- 
stone. This receives fivs tributary streams, 
and flows through the village of Llanfihangtel- 
y-Groyddyn. The next stream the Ystwyth 
receives, comes from the south, passing by the 
plantations of Castle Hill, the seat of Major 
WilliamS; and in a cleft it has made in the 



43 



mountain by its impetuosity, falls into the Yst- 
wyth, just by the village of Llanilar. About 
two miles beyond, it is reinforced by a trifling 
stream from the north, and a little further by 
a larger one called the Mayde, from the south, 
which has been made by the union of two 
smaller. Here stands Abermayde ; and here 
the Ystwyth assumes a most picturesque ap- 
pearance. Two miles further, it receives an- 
other brook called Llolwyn, from the south, 
over which, as well as the Mayde, is a stone 
bridge of a single arch. About half a mile 
further on the Ystwyth, where it curves, uni- 
ting with the well-wooded rocks on its banks, 
contributing to give it a most romantic ap- 
pearance, stands Llanychaiarn bridge. Two 
trifling streams afterwards empty themselves 
into the Ystwyth, from the south-west, when, 
winding round the base of Pendinas Mount, 
it falls into the river Rheidol, just before that 
river meets the Ocean, and gives name to the 
town of Aberystwyth. 

Leland says " There is but a great hill be- 
twyxt Ostwith river and Stratflure. So that 
there is but distance of 2 miles bytwyxt the 
streames of Tyve and Ostwyth." 



44 



Leland must have been much mistaken, in 
his calculation of the proximity of the Teivi 
and Ystwyth, for in their nearest approach, 
there are between three and four miles. In 
another place, speaking of the Ystwyth, he 
says, "It is in Comeustwith, and so rennith 
good vi miles thorough Comeustwith, and a 
vi or vii mo miles to Abreustwith. About the 
middle of this Ustwith Botom that I ridde 
yn, being as I gesse a iiii miles yn length I 
saw on the right honde on a hill side Cloth- 
moyne, wher hath bene greate digging for 
Leade, the melting wherof hath destroid the 
Woddes that sum tim^e grew plentifulii there- 
about. I hard a mervelus tale of a crow fedd 
by a digger there, that tooke av/ay his Feeder's 
pursse, and w ille the digger folowid the crow 
for his purs, the residew of his felows were 
oppressid in the Pitte with a Ruin." 



The Rheidol rises in a lake called Llyn 
Rheidol, in the Plinlimmon mountains ;* (cus- 

* These mountains are three in number, though, errone- 
ously, only one is generally so called. Leland has made 
this mistake, as well as most modern tourists. Pie says, " I 
vuyd Penlimnmon the Hed of Wy. It seemed to me a veri 



i 



45 



torn has sanctioned this pronunciation, bat the 
proper name is Pumlumon, which in Welsli is 
pronounced Pimlimon). About a mile and a 
half from its source, it receives a rivulet from 
the east, continuing the boundary of Cardigan- 
shire from the Pumlumon mountains, being to 
the north of them, and receiving in its passage 
a tributary stream running out of them. A 
mile further the Rheidol is encreased by an- 
other stream, flowing from the westernmost of 
the Pumlumon mountains, and about a mile 
and a half in extent. About a hundred yards 
further, another rivulet falls into the Rheidol ; 
this also separates Cardiganshire fiom Mont- 
gomeryshire. It rises about four miles and a 
half to the northward, and receives a stream 
coming from the Escairvraith copper mines. 
It is called Maesnant. A mile further, the 
Rheidol receives a small stream from the south ; 
and not quite a mile beyond, the river Camddwr 
falls into it from the north, so called from its 
meandering form. Its course is not quite five 
miles, during which it receives two other small 
streams on its eastern side. Just beyond the 

hy montaine." Although only three mountains have been 
said to form the Pumlumon chain, yet each of these may be 
more properly considered as a vast bed of mountains, piled 
one upon another. 



46 

Camddwr, another small stream falls into the 
Rheidoi, which receives no other increase for 
two miles farther, when another brook from 
the east meets it, into which flows another 
called Peithnant. A mile further, another 
brook called Hir-nant, or Long brook, falls_ 
into the Rheidoi also from the east. A mile 
and a half beyond, a rivulet from the north- 
Avest meets the Rheidoi. This is above four 
miles in extent, and receives five tributary 
streams, one of which, from the foaming cata- 
ract it possesses, gives the names of Wenfrwd 
ucha' and Wenfrwd isa', to two cottages si- 
tuated on its sides. About two hundred and 
iifty yards further, Rheidoi receives a trifling 
supply from the west ; but a mile and a half 
beyond, the Castell river falls into it from the 
east ; this also has its bulk encreased by five 
other streams, and flows nearly five miles in 
extent. A cross road leads over the Castell, 
and over the Rheidoi, by means of two bridges ; 
the bridge over the Rheidoi is called Pont 
Erwyd, and is one arch of stone, about thirty- 
six feet in diameter. The Rheidoi now curves 
in the form of an S, and receives a rivulet from 
the west, about three miles long, having two 
streams flowing into it. Half a mile further. 



47 

the Rheidol receives a trifling supply from the 
west, and is again increased by a stream from 
the east, which runs by the church of 'Spytty 
C'en vaen. We now approach 

^!)^ grant? antr trementsoiie dFM of 

The sublime features of this Cataract should 
be viewed, as they cannot well be described. 
The basin into which it falls, is agitated like 
a sea, by the violence of the shock : the rocks 
that have planted themselves across the channel 
are enormous ; the hue of the water is dark ; 
the hills stand upright into the sky ; nothing 
glitters through the gloom but the foam of the 
torrent ; nothing invades the deep silence but 
its own awful sound. The flashing of the rill 
from above into the broad cascade, adds inex- 
pressible beauty to its grandeur. Opposite to 
this stupendous object, on a precipice of fo- 
rests, at a height of more than a hundred and 
fifty yards, stands the Inn, called 

^tie fgaboU ^rm0* 

This Inn, among other accomodations, pro- 



48 



vides guides for the visitors. There is an 
Album kept here, to which all strangers are 
wished to contribute ; and many very obli- 
gingly, " In spite of nature and their stars," 
comply. Another Inn is about to be built 
near this. 

The Rheidol soon meets with the Mynach, 
and their junction may be here traced in this 
bottom. The Cascades on the two rivers are 
not within sight of each other. The Mynach, 
or Monks river, rises on the east side of the 
mountains, to the east of 'Spytty C'en vaen, 
and about half a mile afterwards is replenished 
by the river Merrin, which is formed by the 
junction of two streams, each issuing from a 
lake, one called Llyn Ivan issa', and the other 
Llyn Evan ucha' ; that is. Lower Evan's Lake, 
and Upper Evan's Lake. The next increase 
of the Mynach is from a river called Rhudd- 
nant, taking its rise in Llyn Rhuddnant, into 
which three small streams empty themselves. 
The Mynach then receives two small streams 
from the south, and prepares itself for that 
astonishing cataract, equalled only by the Fall 
of Narni in Italy. The latter, it is true, boasts 
a far more copious flood, but for elegance and 



49 



romantic beauty, it is infinitely surpassed by 
the former. Over this Cataract is a bridge, 
called Pont ar Vynach, or the Mynach Bridge; 
though the English, probably from its awful 
situation, have termed it 



This Bridge is a single arch, between twenty 
and thirty feet in the chord, thrown over an- 
other arch of less than twenty feet below, 
which spans the tremendous chasm. The 
lower arch was thrown over by the Monks of 
Strata Florida, or Ystrad Flur Abbey, about 
the year 1087. In the year 1753, the present 
bridge was built, directly over the original, 
which was left standing. It is not so much 
the art of conquering the obstacles of this 
chasm, that excites our wonder, but the chasm 
itself, the corresponding sides of which prove 



* "In a Tour through North Wales, written in the year 
1803, at Birmingham ! a traveller has coined a tradition of 
an old woman and her cow, and attributed it to the W^elsh 
Peasantry. Be it said, for the honour of the Welsh Pea- 
santry, that they are ignorant of such a ridiculous story, 
and that it can only be traced to an Author, the Mhole of 
whose composition proves his ignorance of the manners or 
language of a people he attempts to deride." 

Meyrick. 
E 



49 



romantic beauty, it is infinitely surpassed by 
the former. Over this Cataract is a bridge, 
called Pont ar Vynach, or the Mynach Bridge ; 
though the Englishj probably from its awful 
situation, have termed it 

This Bridge is a single arch, between twent}^ 
and thirty feet in the chord, thrown over an- 
other <arch of less than twenty feet below, 
which spans the tremendous chasm. The 
.lower arch was thrown over by the Monks of 
Strata Florida, or Ystrad Flur Abbey, about 
the year 1087. In the year 1753, the present 
bridge was built, directly over the original, 
which was left standing. It is not so much 
the art of conquering the obstacles of this 
chasm, that excites our wonder, but the chasm 
itself, the corresponding sides of which prove 



* "In a Tour through North Wales, written in the year 
1803, at Birmingham! a traveller has coined a tradition of 
an old woman and her cow, and attributed it to the Welsh 
Peasantry. Be it said, for the honour of the Welsh Pea- 
santry, that they are ignorant of such a ridiculous story, 
and that it can only be traced to an Author, the whole of 
whose composition proves his ignorance of the manners or 
language of a people he attempts to deride." 

Meyrick. 
» 

E 



50 



how firmly it must have been united. None 
but observers can conceive the surpassing 
beauty and grandeur of the awfully sublime 

dFaU0 of tfie l^pnac^. 

This truly Acherontic stream forces itself 
through masses and fragments of opposing 
rocks, hollowing out deep cavities, filled with 
the awful blackness of unfathomed waters, and 
thickening the misty gloom of a recess, imper- 
vious to sunshine. The first fall takes place 
about forty yards soutli-west of the bridge, 
where the river is confined to narrow limits 
by the rocks. It is carried about six feet 
over the ridge, and projected into a basin, 
at the depth of eighteen feet. Its next leap is 
sixty feet, where it rages enguiphed beneath 
protruding crags and pendant foliage. The 
third fall is diminished to twenty, through 
which it struggles to the edge of the largest 
cataract, and pours, in one unbroken torrent, 
down a precipice of one hundred and ten feet. 
Here, in one volume of foam, bursting into 
light, which had been before obscured by the 
hanging branches of the wide spreading beech 
tree, it seems to threaten, as it breaks against 



51 



the opposing rocks, to tear the mountains from 
their strong foundations. The river therefore 
falls two hundred and eight perpendicular 
feet, without allowing for the declivity of the 
three pools. To this must be added one hun- 
dred and fourteen, which makes the perpen- 
dicular height three hundred and twenty-tw o 
feet ; but as the river falls in an inclined di- 
rection in many parts, and as there are many 
interruptions during its passage, its fall may 
be computed at near five hundred feet. This 
grand cataract receives no inconsiderable aug- 
mentation of terrific appearance from the black 
stratified rocks, forming the glen down which 
it thunders. At the jut of the lowest fall in 
the rock is a cave, called Plant Matt. Tra- 
dition relates this story of the derivation of its 
name. About a century and a half ago, in the 
market town of Tregaron, lived one Matthew 
Evans, a Publican. He was the father of two 
sous and a daughter, generally known by the 
name of Plant Matt, or Matthew's Children. 
They were celebrated robbers, and this cave 
became their dwelling, which thence has ever 
since retained their name. The entrance to it 
admitting only one at a time, these robbers 
could alone keep out hundreds. Here they 
E 2 



52 



lived, for several years, and if either had a 
friend, he gave him his glove, which served 
as a passport when stopped by the others. At 
last, at the instigation of the female, they com- 
mitted murder, and being taken, were executed 
pursuant to their sentence. In the rocks about 
this river, are several nests of the Formica 
Herculanea. These are the largest species 
of Ants that are natives of Britain. Their nests 
are composed of small ends of twigs, forming 
a heap, a yard or more across, and from one to 
two feet high. The insects themselves exceed 
in size three of the common black kind, and 
are possessed of uncommon strength ; their 
favourite situation is a wood, in a light and 
rocky soil. Again we return, and pursue 

Cfje Mlfteitrol, from tf^t J^alU 

The Rheidol being now reinforced by the 
waters of the Mynach, continues its course 
along the valley for a quarter of a mile, when 
it receives a small stream falling down from the 
south-west ; and shortly after, another, in the 
same direction, though a little larger. It con- 
tinues its course down the vale of Rheidol, till 
it receives the impetuous Frwd from the south ; 



63 



and about one hundred and fifty yards beyond, 
another from the opposite side. It afterwards 
meanders for two miles further, and then re- 
ceives another stream from the north ; and two 
miles beyond, another comes into it, which 
rises near Penbryn, and is about three miles 
in extent. About a mile further on, it re- 
ceives another, in the same direction as the 
last. About two miles further, just where it 
forms a right angle, a stream runs from one 
part of it, and falls into it again, forming the 
the hypothenuse of this right angle. It next 
runs under Llanbadarn bridge, a neat stone 
structure that has been built in the place of 
the former wooden one. By such a disposi- 
tion of its waters, the Rheidol forms a trian- 
gular island. It now flows on, sometimes in a 
right line and sometimes curving, till it ap- 
proaches what was once a celebrated palace of 
the Welsh Princes, called 

Or, THE PALACE OF THE RHEIDOL. 

The name of this place is frequently written 
Plas Grug, but without doubt -erroneously; 
and the very means taken to shew its etymo- 
logy proves so. Grug, signifies heath, which 
E 3 



54 

is said to have grown on the spot ; but as the 
ground has not the least appearance of that 
being the case, nor is it of a nature to yield 
heath, we must agree with those, who, without 
giving any reason, have written it Plas Criig. 
Crug, means a hillock, or ground rising sud- 
denly from a flat, which is precisely the de- 
scription of this place ; and there could not 
be a more characteristic name for it than Plas 
Crug, or the Palace of the Mount. The place 
has been treated of before, under the head of 
''•Historical Notices of Aberystwyth Castle," 
and will be further noticed in different parts of 
the work. It is mentioned in a Poem, which ce- 
lebrates Llewelyn the Great, composed by Ein- 
ion ab Gwgan, about the year 1244. He says. 



"The spear of Llewelyn flashes in a hand accustomed to 
martial deeds. It kills and puts its enemies to flight by the 
Palace of the Rheidol." 



Here the river separates, forming an island, 
not quite two miles in circumference, called 
Y Morva, or The Marsh, which formerly, after 
heavy rains, used to be entirely flooded ; but 
of late years it has been drained and embanked, 
and is now considered excellent arable and 
pasture land. It now forms, previous to its 
running into the sea, 



55 



The same apathy, or want of pecuniary re- 
sources, which prevents the working of the 
Mines in this rich county, also impedes all 
suggested improvements so as to form a good 
Harbour here. The present is a deplorable 
one, and a great part of the year, is, on that 
account, lost to trade. A good Harbour would 
be of the greatest advantage to the commerce of 
the town, and of general utility and service in 
this deep bay, particularly to ships that are dri- 
ven in by stress of weather, and prevent, what 
but too frequently has happened, their being 
stranded or lost. Improvements were about 
three and twenty years ago, made on the north 
side of the Rheidol, but they have been en- 
tirely demolished. Mr. Meyrick, in his history 
of the county, observes, " but it is thought if 
a pier were carried to sea on the west side, it 
would probably keep it within its bounds. 
At the Wug (pronounced Weeg), on the north 
side of the town, a capital Harbour might be 
made, by running a pier out on a ridge of 
rocks, which may be effected at the expence 
of about twenty thousand pounds : it would 



56 



then render this the best situation on the coast 
of Wales, for the station of Packets between 
England and Ireland. Something of this kind, 
indeed, has been attempted, but I fear, on too 
limited a scale to answer the wished-for pur- 
pose. A backwater might easily be had, by 
cutting through the low land at the back of the 
Wug, and opening a passage for the Rheidol 
to pour its waters into such a Harbour." The 
next object in rotation is 

C!je Crstre of ^betpstta^tft* 

The Harbour is not sufficiently large or 
commodious for the utmost extent of trade, of 
which the place, from its situation, is capable, 
the bar at its entrance preventing ships of any 
considerable burthen from entering, except in 
spring tides. The number of ships registered 
at the port of Aberystwyth is 210, the tonnage 
8120, and the number of seamen employed 762. 
The largest vessel is 207 tons, and the smallest 
18. There are about fourteen feet of water 
on the bar at spring tides. The Duke of 
Leeds, as Lord of the Manor of Yaenor, had 
a duty of six shillings per ton on coal carried 
coastwise, which was first granted by King 



ST 



Charles II. It has since been reduced to one 
shilling. The herring fishery flourished here 
about thirty years ago ; and that fish, as well 
as cod, is caught at present. Powel, in his 
History of Wales tells us, that in the year 
1206, " There was such an abundance of fish 
at Aberystwyth, that the like number was 
never known to have come there in the me- 
mory of man before." The trade it carries on 
at present is from the exportation of lead and 
silver ore, calamine, blacklead, wheat, barley, 
oats, oak bark, timber, and slates ; butter, 
poultry, and eggs, and a few manufactured 
goods to Bristol and Liverpool. The imports 
are, porter, wines, and spirituous liquors, gro- 
ceries, salt, coals, hemp, pitch, and tar ; iron- 
mongery goods, dry hides, kips, and linen 
cloth. The Aberystwyth vessels have their 
general run to Dublin, and many of the ports 
of Ireland ; to Liverpool, Bristol, Newport, 
Neath, and sometimes to London. 



58 



This nectarious stream will bring 

Tincture and lustre to the eye^ the lip, 
And give an irony strength unto the frame. 

In addition to the convenience and excel- 
lence of the bathing, the salubrious air, and 
surpassing beauty of the country, Aberystwyth 
possesses, like Scarborough and Brighton, an 
advantage over many places on the coast, that 
of a fine chalybeate spring in its immediate vi- 
cinity, the use of which is applicable to, and 
will much assist in^^ ilie cure of many diseases 
for wliich the sea is visited. The superiority 
of iron in diseases has been long acknowledged 
by our first medical practitioners, not even 
suffering mercury to supersede it in its medi- 
cinal effects. All its preparations corrugate 
the living fibre, and have a tendency to produce 
costiveness, and are successfully employed to 
restrain preternatural evacuations. Iron braces 
the stomach, and improves digestion, so as to 
increase the elasticity of the muscular fibre, 
and excite the nervous energy, by augmenting 
nutrition, and may be said to generate blood 
in a double ratio. 



59 



This spring is situate a few hundred yards 
east of the town, upon a common, close to the 
river, almost at the commencement of a plea- 
sant walk, leading by Plas Crug to Llanbadarn 
bridge. It was discovered by accident, about 
the year 1779. There is a small square build- 
ing over it, from the side of which the water 
proceeds by a spout. Some years ago, when 
the water was directed from the river, for the 
purpose of clearing away the weeds which had 
collected there, the well became dry, and a 
small stream, proceeding from tlie north, was 
observed rising from the bed of the river: 
upon covering this over, the flow returned to 
its usual place. The neighbouring country 
abounds with springs of ferruginous nature : 
and traces of sulphur have been lately disco- 
vered at Penglaise. 

THE PROPERTIES, &c. OF THE CHALYBEATE 
SPRING. 

Although favoured by a medical gentleman 
of the town, with a scientific analysis of tliis 
spa, we consider a plain statement of its pro- 
perties, divested of the abstruse phraseology of 
science, more serviceable to general readers, 
and therefore present them with the following 
brief account. 



60 



This water resembles the chalybeate springs 
both of Tunbridge and Llandrindod Wells, 
equally pellucid and as strongly impregnated. 
It is simply chalybeate, neither acidulous or 
saline to the taste, except when it has been 
mixed with the sea water, after high tides; 
nor is there any sulphur in it. The spirits 
are excited and the appetite improved by a 
perseverance in its use; and in a variety of 
disorders where steel may be required, it will 
prove of great service. It is recommended to 
be drank at eight o'clock in the morning, and 
again between breakfast and dinner ; gradually 
increasing the dose according to age or habit. 
As the bowels should be attended to in com- 
mencing a course of the chalybeate spa, a glass 
of sea water or any aperient physic may be 
taken previously. 

ON THE WARM BATH. 

As one of the principal objects in visiting a 
Watering Place is to benefit by Sea Bathing, 
it becomes a necessary part of this work to 
dilate on the efiicacy of that mode of renovating 
the constitution. By the following extracts 



61 

from Sir Arthur Clarke, M. D.'s "Essay on 
Warm, Cold, and Vapour Bathing," a verj 
popular work, and held in great esteem by 
the Faculty, the reader will be enabled to draw 
his own conclusions. In the introduction to 
his book, Sir Arthur observes, — " Though the 
external use of water, for the purposes of 
health and cleanliness, must have been common 
in all ages and nations, the practice of bathing 
as a luxury, or as a remedy, appears to have 
been entirely confined to the polished nations 
of Europe and Asia. In the early records of 
Antiquity, mention, indeed, is made of ba- 
thing, either as a religious ceremony, or the 
means of fortifying the body against the hard- 
ships and fatigues of war; but with these 
views the Cold Baths alone, must in the first 
instance have been employed. The practice 
of bathing formed part of the Mosaic laws. 
On various occasions it is mentioned in the 
Scriptures as a remedy for diseases. Thus 
Naaman^ the Syrian^^ when desired by Elisha 
to bathe in the Jordan, for the cure of his 
leprosy, exclaimed, ' Are not Abana and Phar- 
par,_rivers of Damascus, better than all the 
waters of Israel ? may I not wash in them and 

* 2 Kings, V. 12. 
F 



\ 



62 



be clean ?' In the capital of the Roman Em- 
pire, according to Fabricius, there were not 
fewer than eight hundred and fifty-six public 
baths, some of which were sufficiently large to 
contain at once eighteen hundred persons : 
which establishments were regulated by the le- 
gislature. Among the Turks*^ and Arabians, 
bathing was an established custom, at a very 
early period, and is considered as a necessary 
of life to this day. In Russia there is scarcely a 
Peasant's hut without its vapour bath ; and at 
Moscow, public baths are more numerous than 
the Bagnios at Constantinople." It has been 
hinted by Lord Bacon, that the tradition of 
jEson being brought to youth, by means of the 
medicinal chaldron of Medea, was, in fact, an 
allegorical representation of the effects of the 
warm l)ath, in retarding the approach of old 
age ; and in a note to the "Loves of the Plants," 
Dr. Darwin has further expanded the idea in 
the following words : — 

" The story of ^son becoming young, from 
the medicated baths of Medea, seems to have 
been intended to teach the efficacy of warm 

* "• Cold Bathing is unknown in Turkey and Tartary." 
Lady Craven's Journey to Constantinople. 



63 



bathing, in retarding the approach of old age. 
The words relaocation and bracing, which are 
generally thought expressive of the effects of 
warm or cold bathing, are mechanical terms, 
properly applied to drums or strings, but are 
only metaphors, when applied to the effects of 
cold or warm bathing on animal bodies. The 
immediate cause of old age, seems to reside in 
the irritability of the finer parts, or vessels, of 
our system ; hence these cease to act, and col- 
lapse, or become horny or bony : the warm 
bath is peculiarly adapted to prevent these cir- 
cumstances, by its encreasing our irritability, 
and by moistening and softening the skin, 
and the extremities of the finer vessels which 
terminate in it. To those who are past the 
meridian of life, and have dry skins, and begin 
to be emaciated, the warm bath, for half an 
hour twice a week, I believe to be eminently 
serviceable in retarding the advances of old 
age."* On this principle the Doctor informs 
us that "When Dr. Franklin, the American 
philosopher was in England, he recommended 
to him the use of a warm bath, twice a week, 
to prevent the too speedy access of old age, of 
which he then thought he felt the approach ; 

* Darwin's Zoonomia, p. 686. 
F 2 



64 

and to relieve infirmities under which he ac- 
tually laboured. It gave him considerable 
ease in a disease with which he was afflicted, 
(the stone,) and answered the other intentions 
for which he used it, for he died at an advanced 
period of life, having for many years been in 
the constant habit of using the tepid bath." 

In page 54, on the subject of longevity, Sir 
Arthur observes "As the period of human life 
is very limited, it is of the utmost importance 
to consider whether the constitution of man 
could not be formed so as to exist vigorously 
for twenty or thirty years longer than at pre- 
sent; an object of the greater magnitude, as it 
is conjectured that the modern habits of So- 
ciety tend to diminish the stature and dura- 
tion of each successive generation." " The 
Russians," says Dr. Sanches, "it cannot be 
doubted, owe their longevity, their robust state 
of health, their happy and cheerful temper, 
mostly to their baths." Took in his "Life of 
Catherine," says "that the baths are in such 
general use in Russia, as to produce a decided 
influence on the physical character of the 
nation." In the Introduction to Sir Arthur 
Clarke's Essay, he observes, " The chief object 



65 

of the following pages, is to obviate an idea 
equally unfounded and prejudicial, that the 
use of the JVarm Bath relaxes the frame, and 
renders it more susceptible of cold ; and to 
prove, on the contrary, that this remedy, pro- 
perly applied, z>, in reality^ a Tonic^ and 
fortifies the Si/stem against cold. For this 
purpose, the Author has brought into view all 
the practical knowledge he could collect from 
Medical Writers of the first eminence." In 
the course of the Treatise Sir Arthur adduces 
many arguments and examples, both ingenious 
and convincing to illustrate this axiom, and 
generally on the superior efficacy of the Warm 
Baths ; but as we are desirous to husband our 
pages for as much variety of information as 
possible, we will close the article with one 
short example : In page 60 the Author quotes 
thus, from " Falkner on Bath Waters," " At 
Bath^ many of the Guides remain for several 
hours, every morning, immersed nearly to the 
neck in the Warm Bath, without being either 
relaxed or weakened by it ; but on the contrary, 
they are in general a robust, vigorous, and 
long-lived race of persons." Those who are de- 
sirous of interesting information on this head, 
will do well to consult Sir Arthur Clarke's 
F 3 



66 

work. In conclusion, it is worthy of remark, 
that many condemn the practice of warm ba- 
thing from its eiFeminacy ; but we see no cause 
for calling any act effeminate which has no 
tendency to diminish either the strength of the 
body, the dignity of sentiment, or the energy 
of the mind. 

THE GOOD EFFECTS OF COLD BATHING. 



Fear not ! 



Whether on the death of summer, or birth 
Of trembling winter, cleanse and purify. 

As Sir Arthur Clarke's Essay, (quoted 
throughout the last article) principally treats 
of the efficacy of warm bathing, the following 
remarks in favour of cold bathing, from tlie 
" Cheltenham Guide," will be found generally 
useful and interestino-. "Avoidino- all con- 
troversy, we purpose, in the following ob- 
servations, to give such an account of cold 
bathing, as is most likely to be serviceable in 
preventing any dangerous mistakes in its ap- 
plication. There can be no doubt but that 
the external use of water has a most powerful 
effect in many disorders. Indeed we shall not 
be able to find a single remedy, whose powers 
are so many or highly diversified — often pro- 



67 



ducing effects, instantaneous, beneficial, and 
permanent. In acute fevers it may be safely 
used at any time of the day, when there is 
no sense of chilliness present, when the heat 
of the surface is steadily above what is na- 
tural, and when there is no general or profuse 
sensible perspiration. For if either immer- 
sion in the Cold Bath, or the effusion of 
cold water, be used during the cold stage of 
the paroxysms of fever, the consequences are 
highly dangerous. In Chronic diseases its 
salutary operation is well known, care being- 
taken to renew, as often as is necessary, its 
important application. By this treatment the 
nervous energy is roused and excited, the con- 
stitution is invigorated, the moving powers 
are necessarily strengthened, and peevishness, 
debility and disease, give place to cheerful- 
ness health, and activity. Indeed the most 
general indication for the use of the Cold Bath, 
is the appearance of all that long train of list- 
less, fretful, disagreeable symptoms, usually 
cally " Nervous." It is often employed with 
success, in convulsive diseases, hydrophobia, 
&c. Many prefer the morning, to enjoy the 
luxury of bathing, but it is recommended by 
many eminent medical gentlemen, to use the 
Bath two or three hours before dinner, when 



68 



the system is in its greatest vigour, and the 
body rather above than below the natural 
standard of heat. This remedy seems also 
remarkably efficacious in removing that slow, 
irregular fever, which too frequently preys 
upon the spirits, undermines the health of the 
sedentary and studious, and accelerates con- 
sumptions. To this disease, the bane of ge- 
nius, and the pest of literature, we owe the 
loss of many a promising young adventurer 
in the world of science : more dangerous from 
its apparent insignificancy ; and so often fatal, 
because so seldom noticed, it proceeds slowly, 
but surely, in its work, and saps. the foundation 
of life, before any precautions are used in its 
resistance. The peculiar cases in which cold 
bathing should be avoided, are, permanent 
morbid obstructions, in feminine attacks, at- 
tended with pain in the head, increased sensi- 
bility of cold, and general langour ; in cases 
of indigestion, produced by high and stimulent 
living : in all those who are liable to a strong 
determination of blood to the head, and espe- 
cially to the lungs ; and in children of a deli- 
cate frame, and a strong tendency to rickets. 

Cold bathing invariably does harm, when 
the powers of the body are too languid to bring 



69 



on reaction, and the chilling eiFects of the bath 
remain unopposed. When the patient feels 
the shock of immersion very severely, and 
from experience of its pain, has acquired an 
almost insuperable dread of its application ; 
when he has felt little or no friendly glow to 
succeed the first shock, but on coming out 
of the bath, remains cold, shivering, sick at 
stomach, oppressed with head ache, languid, 
drowsy, listless, and averse to food and exer- 
cise during the whole day, we may be sure the 
shock has been too severe, the bath too cold, 
and no reaction produced at all, adequate to 
the contrary impression on the surface of the 
body. 

The Cold Bath should never be used while 
the body is under profuse sensible perspiration, 
or too full ; but when the frame is beginning to 
grow warm, or even in the commencement of 
perspiration, it may be adopted with safety, and 
with evident benefit. For invalids, therefore, 
labouring under the effects of debility, reco- 
vering from a tedious illness, or worn down 
by some hopeless disorder, gentle exercise, 
immediately before the use of the bath, is in 
all cases indispensibly necessary. It is a very 



70 



common practice of a number of persons, to 
undress after being heated, and stand shivering 
upon the edge of the water, in order to suffer 
themselves to cool before they venture on im- 
mersion, thereby supposing that they prevent 
the danger they should otherwise incur, of 
going in while warm ; but of all notions, this is 
the most erroneous : it thus tends doubly to 
increase the danger, and decrease the powers 
of vital resistance. Under all circumstances, 
therefore, in which the bath is adviseable, the 
best and safest method is, to put off the clothes 
as quickly as possible ; to immerse suddenly 
and without delay the whole body in the bath ; 
to stay in no longer than is necessary for that 
purpose ; upon coming out, to wipe, or have 
the skin rubbed dry with a cloth, and to take 
exercise in proportion to the strength, as soon 
as possible afterwards. All bodies have a 
power of conducting heat, but in different de- 
grees ; when of a higher temperature than 
surrounding objects, they give out their own 
heat to those objects ; when of a lower, they 
receive heat from them. Water is a better 
conductor than air, and air in motion than air 
at rest. The human body has a power of ge- 
nerating heat within itself. When, therefore, 



71 



the body is plunged into cold water, there is 
a sudden and powerful abstraction of heat, 
producing to the feelings a- very strong sense 
of cold ; this is immediately followed by a ve- 
hement effort in the whole arterial system, to 
overcome the impression upon the surface, pro- 
ducing an equally sudden and violent quantity 
of heat, and an universal sense of warmth suf- 
ficient to make even the cold medium by which 
the body is surrounded, appear of a tolerable 
temperature. This constitutes what is called 
reaction^ which is the chief and most impor- 
tant end of the Cold Bath, and which, under 
proper limitations, and carried to a proper 
extent, forms the principal medical intention 
of cold bathing. But this can only be salutary 
when the body is speedily removed from the 
water, for, if the immersion be continued too 
long, the body becomes chilled, the hands and 
feet become cold and insensible ; and the vital 
powers being exhausted, by the constant and 
rapid absorption of heat from the surface, be- 
come unable to supply the waste, and the body 
sinks down at last, under the united pressure 
of cold and fatigue. 



72 



At the northern extremity or the Terrace, ad- 
joining the commencement of Craiglais, stand 
the Marine Baths. The building is erected 
on a rocky foundation, and projects right into 
the sea ; being defended from the violent as- 
saults of the ocean by a strong wall, as well as 
the more impregnable fortifications of strong- 
black, or deep blue rocks, massive, and sin- 
gularly romantic in their appearance. It is 
almost an injury to the Proprietor to proceed 
on a premature description of what, (consider- 
ing his great projected improvements, which 
are even now commencing,) may be called a 
mere beginning ; hoAvever, favoured as we are 
by his communications on the subject, we can 
safely acquaint the reader with the nature of 
those improvements. 

The Baths are erected on scientific prin- 
ciples, suggested by an eminent Engineer, 
undermined by vast iron pipes, branching 
out many fathoms into the sea, and conveying 
from a rocky, sandless portion of the ocean, 
the pure saline stream ; which is pumped, and 



73 

by a conductor led, into an immense boiler, 
containing five hundred gallons. From the 
boiler are various pipes, leading to the different 
baths. These baths are each six feet long and 
two and a half wide, lined with Dutch tile, 
which being much less porous than marble, is 
more effectually cleansed from all impurities 
to which they are liable ; and each occupies 
one end of a neat little room, with fire, where 
every desirable accommodation has been stu- 
diously considered ; and there are two cocks 
attached to every bath, one conducting hot, 
the other cold water, which bathers can turn, 
and temper by an intermixture at their own 
pleasure. In addition to these, there is 

A COLD PLUNGING BATH. 

In another room, with its corresponding 
apparatus is 

A SHOWER BATH. 

which is recommended on the score of bathers 
being less liable to the cramp, than when using 
the Cold Bath. In an apartment up stair§, 
with all its attendant necessaries, is 

A VAPOUR BATH. 
This is a comparative recent invention, and 
considered a discovery of so much import, as 

G 



74 



in all medical establishments to supersede the 
use of the Hot Bath : for the nature and pro- 
perties of which, the reader is referred to "Sir 
Arthur Clarke's Essay on Warm, Cold, and 
Yapour Bathing," pages 100 and 106. 

This building also contains bed chambers, 
for the accommodation of those whose health 
would render it dangerous to remove them; 
and a handsome sitting room, with a large bow 
window, looking over, and commanding an 
expansive view of the sea, as well as of the 
distant objects, and alpine wonders, before 
dilated on in the description of the Castle 
Ruins, w hich are also to be seen from this spot, 
as well as the whole Terrace, a great portion 
of the town, and, on the other side, a view over 
Craiglais, and its wild and rugged coast. In 
its finished state, this building will doubtless 
be an ornament to that part of the Terrace on 
which it stands. It is to have an iron gate 
with enclosing walls, and many other embel- 
lishments. The intended new road is to com- 
mence by the Marine Baths, uniting it with 
the Terrace, and when the gigantic task is 
accomplislied, of cutting through Craiglais, it 
will afford a delightful drive by the sea side, 



75 

and up through the vale of Clarach, then wind- 
ing northernly and on to the Borth sands. 
About the centre of the Terrace is a small 
building called 

srtie ©Oarm Batfimg iSott^e* 

The baths here (two in number) are of a 
humble description, lined with wood, and the 
water carried to them in buckets. A little 
northernly, on the Beach, stand 

|[r§e Battling M^tU^t^, 

built on the same principle as the generality 
of those at Margate and Brighton, and equal to 
the best of them.. Bathers may be accommo- 
dated at low water, at five or six yards from 
the edge of the shore, and at high water three. 
The beach being of pebbles instead of sand, 
tlie water is always clear, neither troubled by 
tempestous weather, nor disturbed by the in- 
flux of the tide; a felicitous circumstance to 
those who have been accustomed elsewhere to 
tlie miseries of a sandy shore, and a tedious 
descent before they arrive at a desirable depth. 
There are many small Bathing Houses scat- 
tered about in difierent parts of the town. 
G 2 



76 



aianfiaftarn vmt. 

From Aberystwyth one mile. 

To the eastward of Aberystwyth is Llaiiba- 
darnvawr, once a city, and a Bishop's see, but 
now an inconsiderable village. It is chiefly 
entitled to notice for its venerable church, 
formerly appendant to an Abbey; and two 
antique crosses adorned with rude carvings. 
There are excellent apples produced in and 
near this village, almost every cottage possess- 
ing its little orchard. There is a good horse 
road, as well as a pleasant foot walk, between 
Aberystwyth and Llanbadarn vawr ; the latter 
is through level fields, by the side of a divided 
portion of the Rheidol, where there are seats, 
such as are generally used in pleasure grounds, 
for the accommodation of the public. At the 
Aberystwyth end of this walk is the Chalybeate 
Spring,* and near the Llanbadarn end, stands 
Plas Crug, the remains of an ancient fortifica- 
tion, a square tower of which still exists, and 
by its side a mean farm house has been built. 
Insteadof returning the same way, the walk or 

* The little building attached to this spring was erected 
by the late Colonel Johnes, of Havod. 



Tl 



ride m&y b^ t:6nsiderably extended, by cross* 
ing the bridge 'over the Rheidol, below Llan- 
badarn, and taking the road to Aberystwytli 
tlie other side of the river, and through Tre^- 
vechan. Anglers have seldom to complain of 
tlieir sport on the route bety/een Llanbadarii 
and Aberystwyth. Llanbadatii lias completely 
outlived its consequence and grandeur ; the 
very market has been removed to Aberystwyth, 
On tlie north side of the church, the buildings 
were, probably, a part of the old monastry, 
a pointed arch, and other circumstances in 
them, indicating great antiquity. A part of 
the land in this parish is still called Tir y 
mi/nach^ or The Monks' Lidn4,\ which formerly 
no doubt, belonged to the Monks of this place. 
t)n it is a farm called Brdn CaStellau, v/hich 
points out the former existence of ca^tleS near 
it. Above the church is a small narrow dingle, 
in a particular part of which, if any one stands, 
he cannot hear the church bells while rinp-iiiir; 
yet, if he moves but a little, one way or the 
tlie other, he will hear them distinctly. This 
is a vicarage, and what is remarkable, there 
are no tythes belonging to it ; but the impro* 
priator pays twenty pounds per annum to tlie 
hiinister, as a compensation, though the tytlies 
& 3 



78 



liclong to the Chichester family. It is in the 
gift of the Bishop of St. David's. Meyrick, 
in his History of Cardiganshire, says. " This 
wicked people boast, that a certain Bishop of 
llicir church was murdered by their predeces- 
sors ; and on this account chiefiy they ground 
their claims of right and possession." The 
following whimsical anecdote, illustrative of 
^- the credulous and superficial traveller," is 
is told, of what once took place here. "In 
the reign of King Stephen, who succeeded 
Henry I. a soldier, born in Armorican Britain,* 
liaving travelled through many parts of the 
w orld, from a desire of seeing different cities, 
and the manners of their inliabitants, came by 
chance to Llanbadarn ; on a certain feast day, 
whilst both the clergy and the people were 
waiting for the arrival of the Abbot, to cele- 
])rate mass, he perceived a body of young men 
armed, accordino; to the custom of their coun- 
\\\^ approaching towards the church, and on 
enquiry which of them was the Abbot, they 
pointed out to him a man, walking foremost, 
w ith a long spear in his jiand. Gazing on him 
with amazement, he asked ' If the Ab])ot had 

* Britanny, in France, where a dialect of tlic Welsh is 
still spoken. 



79 



not another habit, or a different staff, from that 
Avhich he now carried ?' On their answering 
him in the negative, he replied, ^ I have seen, 
indeed, and heard this day a wonderful no- 
velty ;' and from that hour returned home, 
and finished his labours and researches." In 
the life of Yavasor Powell, a celebrated non- 
conformist Minister, in the Protectorate of 
Oliver Cromwell, occurs the following notice 
of this place. " In the summer of tliat year 
(1656) he was preaching in South Wales, and 
in the course of his excursions came, I think, 
to Llanbadarn vawr, in Cardiganshire, where 
several hundreds of people came together to 
hear him. At this, a gentleman in that neigh- 
bourhood, of the name of Prise, if I am not 
mistaken, then High Sheriff of the county, was 
greatly alarmed, and wrote a letter on the 
occasion to the Lord Commissioner, and after- 
wards Lord Keeper, Bulstrode Whitelock, who 
was also his father-in-law, giving an account 
of the said meeting, and wishing to be in- 
structed how to act in future, on similar oc- 
casions. This letter was dated Gogerddan, 
12th June, 1656, and of which the following is 
an extract. ' I presume, my Lord, to give you 
some passages that occurred here last Saturday, 



§0 



and Lord's day. There met here, within iwd 
miles of my house, at least four hundred per- 
sons, out of seven or eight several counties of 
Wales, commanded ill chief (I may say) by 
Mr. Vavasor Powell. To understand this un- 
usual concourse, I sent my Deputy Sheriff 
(conceiving it my duty) to know upon what 
score they convened. They returned me tliis 
answer by him, that they met to break bread, 
and intended a meeting of part of several con- 
gregation [al] churches of Wales at our parish 
church, this last Lord's day. What their in- 
tentions were, or may be, I cannot conjecture, 
but sure I am, they were countenanced by 
magistrates, dissenters of [from] the present 
government. When I was informed of what 
they intended, I went no way to disturb them 
in the duty of the day ; but I do humbly de- 
sire your Lordship to move his Highness (if 
you see fit) in what hath passed, and to know 
iiis pleasure, whither such tumultuous assem- 
blies be allowed or not.' " The Historical 
Notices of Llanbadarn vawr are worth the 
ireader's attention. 



81 



38i0torieal Motitt^ of UlatitiaUartt 
Fatur** 

It derived its name from Paternus, a distin- 
guished Saint in the British History, of whom 
Cressy and Archbishop Usher give the follow- 
ing account. " The sanctity of St. Dubricius 
and St. David, drew into Britain, from foreign 
parts, St. Paternus, a devout young man, about 
the year 516, together with 847 Monks, who 
accompanied him : these fixed themselves in a 
place called Mauritania, and there Paternus 
built a church and monastery, in which he 
placed the Monks, under an Economist, a Pro- 
vost, and a Dean. This monastery seems to 
have sent abroad, many colonies of religioiis 
men into the province, for we find that this 
saint built many monasteries and churches, 
through all the region called Ceretica, now 
Cardiganshire. The church he erected in 
Mauritania, was raised to the dignity of an 
Episcopal see, which he governed for one and 
twenty years, and was from him called Pa- 

* The etymology of its name is simple. Llanbadarn vawr 
signifies the great church of Badarn, or Padarn, who erected 
it. Llan, as well as Eglwys, is the Welsh for church, and 
vawr for arreat. 



82 



ternensis : he was recalled into his own native 
country of Lesser Britan j, where he was made 
Bishop of Vannes, having left Kinoc, as suc- 
cessor to his former Bishopric." Mauritania 
is supposed to be a latinized British name of 
Llanbadarn vawr. The writer of the life of 
St. Paternus, or Patern, says, " he by feeding 
governed, and by governing fed the church of 
Ceretica." " Padarn was the son of Pedredin 
ab Emyr Llydaw, and cousin of Cadvan, with 
whom he came into Britain, and was the first 
of all in the college of IHtyd, (in Glamorgan- 
sliire,) where he was dignified a Bishop. He 
removed from thence, and founded a congre- 
gation in Caredigion, at a place thence called 
Llanbadarn vawr, consisting of 120 members, 
where he had the title of Archbishop. He was 
one of the most distinguished saints of Britain, 
and several churches were dedicated to him. 
He was ranked with Dewi and Teilo, in the 
in the Welsh Historical Triads, under the 
appellation of ' The three blessed visitors of 
the Isle of Britain,' for they went about, 
preaching the faith to all degrees of people, 
not only without reward, but with alleviating 
the distresses of the poor, as far as their means 
extended." — Cambrian Biography, page 278. 



83 

The Bishop of Llanbadani attended at a Sy- 
nod, held in Worcestershire, A. D. 603 ; and 
this place seems to have enjoyed its episcopal 
honours till the people, according to Roger 
Hoveden, killed their Bishop, when the Dio- 
cese Avas united to the See of St. David's. 
Llwyd supposed the Bishop's name was Id- 
nerth, or Idnert, and perhaps the same person 
commemorated in the sepulchral inscription 
existing in Llandewi Brefi. In the year 1111, 
Gilbert, son of Richard de Clare, gave to the 
church of St. Peter, at Gloucester, the lands 
and church of Llanbadarn vawr. It appears, 
however, that its ecclesiastical establishment 
existed in 11S9, for the Welsh Chronicle tells 
us " That about that time, John, Archdeacon 
of Llanpadarn, departed this life, who, for his 
rigid zeal in religion and virtue, was thought 
worthy to be canonized ;" and adds, " That in 
the year 1144, died Sulien ap Rythmarch, a 
man of great knowledge, and one of the college 
of Llanpadarn." In the year 1188, it was go- 
verned by a lay Abbot, of which Giraldus 
Cambrensis gives the following account. "It 
is remarkable that this church, like many 
others in Wales and Ireland, has a lay Abbot ; 
for a bad custom has prevailed amongst the 



84 



clergy, of appointing the most powerful peo- 
ple of a parish stewards, or rather patrons of 
their churches ; who, in process of time, from 
a desire of gain, have usurped the whole right, 
appropriating to their own use the possession 
of all the lands, leaving only to the clergy the 
altars, with their tenths and oblations ; and 
assigning even these to their sons and relations 
in the church. Such defenders, or rather de- 
stroyers, of the church, have caused them- 
selves to be called Abbots ; and presumed to 
attribute to themselves, a title, as well as 
estates, to which they have no just claim. In 
this state we found the church of Llanpadarn, 
without a head. A certain old man, waxen 
old in iniquity, (whose name was Eden Oeu, 
son of Gwaithvoed,) being Abbot, and his sons 
officiating at the altar." This Gwaithvoed 
was surnamed Vawr, and was Lord of Care- 
digion and Gwent, from about A. D. 900 to 
950. He was distinguished in the Welsh His- 
torical Triads as one of the Band-weatins: 
Princes^ which bands were badges of royalty 
among the primitive Princes of Britain. Gi- 
raldus goes on to say that " In the reign of 
King Henry I. when the authority of the En- 
glish prevailed in Wales, the monastery of St. 



85 



Peter, at Gloucester, held quiet possession of 
this church ; but after his death, the English 
being driven out, the monks were expelled 
from their cloisters, and their places supplied 
by the same violent intrusion of clergy and 
laity, which had formerly been practised." 
This church was in later times, appropriated 
to the abbey of Vale Royal, in Cheshire. It 
formerly enjoyed, together with its precincts, 
the previlege of a sanctuary, which, in the 
year 1116, Griffith ap Rhys violated. The 
present edifice was, probably, erected soon 
after the landing of William the Conqueror in 
England, as the plain pointed arch is visible 
throughout ; this, indeed, forms the only or- 
nament on the font, which is an octagonal 
shaft, standing on three steps, and supporting 
an octagonal basin. But the entrance on the 
south side of the nave, is an elegant specimen 
of the ornamented pointed arch, as in vogue 
in the beginning of the 12th century, and 
such as may be seen in Llandaff cathedral, 
erected by Bishop Urban, in 1120. The chan- 
cel and north tansept are separated from the 
rest of the church, by light and elegant carved 
screens, which, from the elaborate workman- 
ship they display, were probably erected about 



86 

the time of Henry VII. They are coloured 
red, green, and yellow, and though once very 
brilliant, are now so neglected as to be scarcely 
perceptible. Round a pew on the south side 
of the chancel, is a similar carved screen, in 
which seem to have been several shields, two 
only of which now remain. Further descrip- 
tion may have the bad effect of satisfying the 
reader, to the prevention of a visit to Llanba- 
dam church, which, as it affords a short and 
pleasant walk from Aberystwyth on a Sunday 
morning, an occular examination of the re- 
mains of antiquity, after service, may prove 
highly gratifying. The scenes of warfare, &c. 
which affected the town, claim a separate notice. 
In the year 988, Llanbadarn was destroyed by 
the Danes, whose ravages were so extensive, 
that Meredith, Prince of Wales, v* as forced to 
compound with them, and to pay a tribute of 
one penny for every man within bis dominions, 
which, in Welsh, was called Glwmaen, i. e. the 
tribute of the black army. In the year 1038, 
it was laid in ashes by Griffith ap Llewelyn, 
wlio wrested it from the hands of Howel ap 
Edwin, and received himself the oaths of alle- 
giance. It however escaped in 1106, when 
Alhel and Madoc, at the instigation of Henry II 



87 



King of England, destroyed all Cardiganshire, 
except this and Llandewi Brevi ; yet they took 
out of this sanctuary several of Owen's meii, 
who had fled here, and put them to the sword. 
Its descent to its present insignificance has 
been gradual and unnoted. At Bro Gynin, in 
the parish of Llanbadarn, was born that cele- 
brated Welsh bard David ap Gwelym, an Ama- 
tory Lyric Poet of the fourteenth century, 
emphatically called "the Welsh Ovid," aod 
some of his adventures might entitle him io 
be stiled " the Welsh Don Juan." Among the 
many of high note buried at Llanbadarn, was 
the late Mr. Lewis Morris, the celebrated An- 
tiquary and Philanthropist. The reader will 
be much gratified with the account given of 
this excellent and talented individual, in Mey- 
rick's History of the County of Cardigan, 
page S90. 

Llanbadarn church is served by its vicar, 
the Rev. Richard Evans, B. D. assisted by the 
Rev. William Herbert, the curate. This ve- 
nerable edifice had fallen into sad neglect and 
decay ; but by the laudable exertions of the 
present vicar, it has been wonderfully reno- 
vated and improved ; and is now a handsome 
n2 



[ 



88 

and commodious place of worship, generally 
very well and respectably attended. Service, 
partly in English and Welsh, commences every 
Sunday at eleven o'clock in the morning ; and 
again at three o'clock in the evening, in Welsh. 

CRAIGLAIS TO THE VALE OF CLARACH. 

After naming the Marine Terrace and the 
Castle Ruins as the principal promenades, we 
come to walks less aided by art, but more ex- 
lensive and desirable to the enterprising pe- 
destrian. At the northern end of the Terrace, 
commencing by the Marine Baths, stands the 
high mount called Craiglais, or Echo Rock, 
which is ascended by a narrow footpath ; in the 
steepest part it is cut like rude steps. After 
gaining the summit of the hill, at a good dis- 
tance from frightful precipices towards the sea, 
the path conducts to the village in the vale of 
Clarach,* so named from its river, which is 
here seen to empty itself into the sea. This 
vale is celebrated for its harvest commencing 
earlier than any other part of Cardiganshire., 
There is a highly probable conjecture that the 

* Properly written Claiarach, 



89 



etymology of its name, is from the Welsh word 
claiar, i. e. warm, which with its termination 
makes it claiarach, warmer. It should be ob- 
served, there is a rock close to Craiglais called 
Bryn dioddau, or the Criminals mount, because 
in ancient times all executions took place there. 

To add variety to the excursion, we may 
return to Aberystwyth by another path over 
the hill ; and otherwise by threading the vale 
of Clarach, crossing the bridge, and turning 
up to 

THE MACHYNLLETH ROAD, 

which leads immediately back to the town ; 
or, if the individual or party wish to extend 
the walk, instead of returning to the town, they 
may enter the fields on the left hand, after 
passing the turnpike, and take 

THE WALK BY THE RHEIDOL, 

described in another part of this work, under 
the head of ''Llanbadani vawr," passing the 
Chalybeate Spring, and straight on by Fhis 
Crug to Llanbadarn bridge ; crossing the 
bridge, a short steep lane leads to the turn- 
pikCo You enter the high road to the town. 
H 3 



90 



^vhicli is always dry, having been cut through 
the solid rock; this road runs parallel with 
the Rheidol and the path just left, on the op- 
posite side of the valley. Passing the base 
of Pendinas you enter Tre'vechan, which is se- 
parated from Aberystwyth only by the bridge 
over the Rheidol, and Bridge Street leads you 
to the centre of the tov/n. Another way of 
returning from the vale of Clarach, is, by 

THE BEACH. 

The pedestrian is warned that the flowing 
of the tide should be well ascertained, before 
he commences his return by this route; as 
there have been instances of persons being in- 
solated and confined amid the hollows of the 
shore, and been obliged to climb the high, 
dangerous, and rugged cliffs, or remain till 
the ebbing of the tide. This walk is awfully 
romantic, from the black gigantic cliifs of 
jagged slate rock, alternately rearing in deep 
excavations, and projecting their audacious 
fronts into the sea, with threatening boldness : 
while the ocean roars or hoarsely murmurs 
over the neighbouring breakers. A vast hol- 
low ill the rock, like a monstrous yawning den, 
is denominated Eglwys Matthew, or Matthew's 



91 



Church, from an eccentric beggar of that 
name, who, in the memory of many of the old 
inhabitants, used to re lire there and make an 
appearance of preaching. It is waggishly 
inferred that this mendicant perceiving the 
sliglit effect that preaching had on men, in the 
spirit of satiric whimsicaility, tried his elo- 
quence with scarce less success on the rocks 
and waves. Leaving (his cave you soon pass 
the Marine Baths and reach the Terrace. 

PEN YR ANCHOR, 



or Anchor Head : to commence this walk you 
go down Bridge Street, cross the bridge, enter 
Tre'vechan, and turning on the right hy the 
side of the liarboiir, the walk leads past the 
store-houses, to die junction of the Rheidol 
and Ystwyth, before they discharge themselves 
into the sea. This walk, rounding the base 
of Pendiuas, and running through level fields 
by the side of the Ystwytl?, is particularly 
pleasant and generally admired. Through 
meadows and cornfields, v»ith the commiugled 
beauties in your eye, of hill and vale, wood 
aiid river, you reach the village of 



92 



RHYD Y VELIN, 

which signifies, the Ford of the Mill. From 
this village you may return by the turnpike 
road. Those who prefer an eminence to the 
champaign in their recreative walk, on leaving 
Pen yr Anchor, should cross the green lane on 
the right, and take the path which runs up on 
a gradual ascent along the side of 

PENDINAS HILL, 

till the top is attained ; from whence, perhaps, 
the best prospects about Aberystwyth present 
themselves. The western side looks over the 
sea, towards those grand Alpine objects before 
described ; and the eastern towards many val- 
lies, whose high backing hills form a bold 
closing to the horizon. Not least among the 
beauties of the scenery, is the curious sight 
of the two noble rivers, Ystwyth and Rheidol, 
seen at once, threading their respective vallies. 
and running their distant parallel course, gTa- 
dually nearing, till they meet, embrace, and 
march side by side into the open arms of old 
ocean. The hill called Yr AUtwen, on the 
other side of the Ystwyth is a noble promon- 
tory, and a formidable rival to Fendinas both 
in height and beauty, the portion in ^iew 



93 

being covered with verdure ; and a foot bridge 
across the river would be a most desirable 
improvement, that would give the pedestrian 
a wide and pleasant range ; Avhiie at present 
he has the mortification to see unattainable 
beauties, and walks barred from his approach 
by the intervention of the river. Many vi- 
sitors of Aberystwyth protest against this curb 
on their pleasures, and from year to year, hope 
to see a bridge over the Ystwyth. 

The top and sides of Pendinas are formed 
into corn fields and pasture ground, which 
also are prolific in Nature's spontaneous em- 
bellishments of wild flowers, especially wild 
Heart's-ease and 

" The blue and gold-eyed flow'ret of the brook, 
Hope's gentle gem, the fair Forget-me-not."* 

This flower is very rarely seen to grow else- 
where than in or by brooks. Indeed it is a 
a matter of surprise to many to see the abun- 
dance of wild flowers on the banks of the 



* One of the names (and meriting to be the only one,) of 
the Myosotis Scorpioides Palustris ; a llower from six 
to twelve inches high, with a blue blossom and bright yellow 
eye. Coleridge says, " It has the same name over the 
whole empire of Germany, (Fergissmein Nichf,) and we 
believe in Denmark and Sweden." 



94 



rivers, and about Aberystwyth. The garden 
daisy, a general favourite with florists for 
bordering their parterres, grows here inter- 
mixed with the grass, at Anchor Head, the 
Castle Ruins, and in the fields, as profusely as 
the dock or nettle in other places. A fortress 
was erected on the top of Pendinas by Prince 
Rhys ap GriiBth, in the year 1117, the remains 
of which still exist. Oliver Cromwell also 
encamped here, and from his battery destroyed 
Aberystwyth castle, his object being to extir- 
pate a banditti, who sheltered there, and con- 
tinually infested the town and its vicinity. 
Of late years many vestiges of antiquity have 
been dug up here. A curious engraving of 
a celt, or British battle axe, and of a golden 
angel of Henry VII. discovered here, is to be 
seen in Meyrick's History of Cardiganshire, 
page 418. The latter was found by some men 
who were digging a trench, for the purpose of 
planting a hedge. It was in good preserva- 
tion, and the description of it is curious. One 
side is a ship at sea whose planks seem to fold 
over each other, and whose quarter deck and 
forecastle are surrounded with net work, to 
prevent accidents, &c. This ship is charged 
with an escutcheon of the royal arms, France 



95 

and England quarterly ; above which appear 
a cross fastened to the mast, the top of which 
may be seen over it. On the dexter side of 
this cross is the letter H, for Henry ; on the 
sinister, the combined rose of the houses of 
York and Lancaster. Round this is inscribed 
Per cruce Iva Salva nos xpe Red. 
" By thy cross, oh Christ our redeemer save 
us." On the reverse is St. Michael the Arch- 
angel, thrusting a spear, terminated at one end 
with a cross crosslet, into a dragon's mouth : 
he has both his legs on the dragon. The dia- 
meter of the coin is one inch and an eighth, 
and value 6s. 8d. originally, but raised under 
different reigns till Elizabeth fixed it at 10s. at 
which rate it stood till angels were disconti- 
nued and guineas introduced in the protector- 
ate of Oliver Cromwell. This coin was sent 
to the Antiquarian society, 1st May, 1802. 



I 



96 



To be observed or passed, during a ride or drive near 
Aberystwyth. 



FIRST ROAD,— Towards the Borth Sands. 



PENGLAISE. 

One mile and a half from Aberystwyth. 

This is supposed to be an anglofied mode of 
writing Penglas, which signifies The Blue 
Head, doubtless in allusion to some stone or 
rock on the headland; as the native stone 
here is of a deep blue, approximating to black. 
This handsome mansion stands on an emi- 
nence, commanding a noble view of Aberyst- 
wyth, and much of its vicinity ; an extensive 
one of the sea coast, as far as the river Dovey ; 
and of the windings of the Rheidol through its 
green valley towards the town. It rests within 
a sheltering grove, at the upper extremity of a 
verdant slope, contrasted here and there with 
a varied description of ground. It is the pro- 
perty and residence of Roderick Richardes, 
Esq. It was with an idea of avoiding Penglaise 
hill, which is so tedious for carriages, that the 
new road through Craiglais has been projected. 



97 



CWM CYNVELIN. 

Tit'o miles from Aberystwyth. 

Cwm^ (pronounced Coom,) is the Welsh 
word for Dingle, and Cynvelin, a proper 
name, supposed to be that of a resident chief- 
tain. It overlooks the vale of Clarach, and is 
the seat of Isaac Lloyd Williams, Esq. of 
Lincoln's Inn. It is also called Cwmcyvni 
(pronounced Coomcuvney). Sarn Cynvelin, 
which runs from the sea coast here, into the 
sea, is the vestige of the ancient road which 
led from the highland domains of Cynvelin to 
the fertile lowlands of Gwyddno Garanhir, 
called Cantrev y Gwaelod, inundated by the 
sea in the year 520. — Vide Map. 

GOGERDDAN. 

Three miles from Aberystwyth, 

This is pronounced Gogerthan, the Welsh 
dd gives the softer sound of the English th. 
The name is from Gog, (pronounced Goge,) a 
Cuckoo ; the termination ddan is obsolete, but 
has allusion to the song of the Cuckoo. There 
is a tradition, (whether of late coinage or not, 
is uncertain,) of a youth and a maid in ancient 
times, who were lovers, wandering through 
the woods, and hearing the bird of spring, he 
I 



98 



is said to have exclaimed "Gogerdd AnnT' 
" the Cuckoo sings Ann !" and in remembrance 
of those words of agreeable associations, on 
building a house near the path of their " tender 
walk," they designated it accordingly. Gog- 
erddan is the seat of Pryse Pryse, Esq. M. P. 
it stands in a forest of fir, and has a very re- 
spectable appearance. It is celebrated as the 
birth place of Rhydderch ab levan Llwyd, a 
Poet of the first rank, who lived in the next 
age to David ab Gwelym. He was the owner 
of this estate, and brought up at Oxford. In 
the year 1690, we are told, that when some of 
the Cardiganshire Mines began to shew signs 
of exhaustion,others, not inferior to the best 
of the former, were discovered on the estate of 
Gogerddan, then belonging to Sir Carberry 
Pryse. The ore was so near the surface of 
the earthy that the moss and grass did but 
barely cover it. These mines, in their time, 
were not exceeded by any in the kingdom for 
riches, and, as elsewhere observed, obtained 
the appellation of the Welsh Potosi. 

Returning again and moving in the direction 
of the coast, we reach 



99 

THE BORTH SANDS. 

Six miles from Aberystvoyth. 

These sands commence with the village of 
Borth, are five miles in length, running in a 
perfect level, till terminated by the river 
Dovey, which parts the counties of Cardigan 
and Merioneth. 

SECOND ROAD— Through Llanbadarn, S^c. 



THE VICARAGE HOUSE. 

Haifa mile from Aberystwyth. 

This new and handsome mansion is the 
residence of the Rev. Richard Evans, B. D. 
Vicar of Llanbadarn vawr, and Magistrate of 
Aberystwyth. The same spirit for improve- 
ment, that has so successfully beautified the 
interior of Llanbadarn church, is strikingly 
conspicuous in the erection of this building, 
which is highly creditable to the taste of Mr. 
Evans. Further on, by the road side, stands 

MIDWAY HOUSE, 

Three quarters of a mile from Aberystwyth, 

A good looking and commodious lodging 
house, generally occupied by visitors in the 
bathing season. 

I 2 



100 

VRONVRAITH. 

Three miles from Ah try stray th. 

The name of this place is generally written 
Fronfraith, but the Welsh f being pronounced 
like the English v, a general substitution of 
tlie latter is likely to take place in time ; for 
which the modern Welsh literati are advocates, 
to the great indignation of those of the old 
school. Vronvraith is the Welsh name of the 
Thrush ; the word literally means " speckle- 
breast," or " spotted hill." Its adoption in 
this instance, may possibly have been from its 
allusion to the variegated description of the 
landscape. Vronvraith was the seat of the 
late Sir Thomas Bonsall, Knight. 

GLANRHEIDOL. 

Six miles from Aberystwyth. 

Glanrheidol derives its name from its situa-^ 
tion, and it signifies " on the banks of the 
Rheidol." It is a very respectable looking 
mansion, and the attached grounds are laid out 
in good taste. It is the seat of George Bon- 
sail, Esq. 



101 

THIRD ROAD.— By Castle Hill, ^c. 



CRUGIAU. 

One mile and a half from Aherystmyth. 

This neat retired dwelling is the residence 
of Captain Davies; it is approached from a 
small lodge on the right hand side of the road 
to Cardigan, obscured from the eye by a very 
pretty plantation. It commands a fine view 
of the sea. Crugiau (generally called Creegie,) 
implies "the Hillocks." 

ABERLLOLWYN. 

Three miles from Aberystwyth 

The seat of the Rev. J. Hughes. It bears 
its designation from being situate at the mouth 
of the Llolwyn, a stream near it so called. 

MORVA. 

Four miles from Aberystwyth, 

The ancient seat of the family of the Hughes. 
It is situate about a mile to the right of Aber- 
Uolwyn, close on the borders of the sea. This 
appellation signifies " the Marsh." 

ABERMAYDE. 

Five miles from Aberystwyth. 

Abermayde is so named from being situate 
I 3 



102 

near a stream called the Mayde, and Aber is 
indiscrimately applied in Welsh to the mouths 
of rivers. It stands in a pleasant spot in the 
vale of Ystwyth. 

CASTLE HILL. 

Six miles from Aberystwyth. 

This ancient and handsome mansion, the 
property of Major Williams, derives its name 
from an old redoubt not far from the house. 
It stands on the banks of the Ystwyth amidst 
a beautiful plantation. 

LLIDIADAU. 

Seven miles from Aberysiviyth. 

Owing to the guttural sound in the two 
letters commencing this name, the English ge- 
nerally call it Lidiadie, the Welsh u being 
pronounced like an e, which associates curi- 
ously enough, with the name of the heroine of 
the Belle's Stratagem, Liddy Hardy. Llid- 
iadau means "the Gates." It is situate on a 
pleasant eminence. 

CROSSWOOD. 

Eight miles from Aberystwyth. 

This mansion, the seat of the Earl of Lis- 
burne, stands on the banks of the Ystwyth, 



103 

surrounded by its park and numerous luxu- 
riant farms. The Welsh name of this place is 
Trawscoed, by which it is always called by 
the country people. Cross wood, or wood 
placed in a traverse direction, is the literal 
translation of the Welsh name. 



NANTEOS. 

Three miles from Aberystwyth^ 

In many languages etymology is a dry, 
tedious, and uninteresting study, but in Welsh 
it is particularly pleasing, from the ingenious 
and poetic turn of the derivations ; a fair illus- 
tration of which, among some others already 
given, may be adduced from the name of this 
beautiful place. Nanteos is the Welsh for 
Nightingalebrook ; from Nant, a Brook, and 
Eos, a Nightingale. Nothing could be better 
chosen than such a designation in the present 
instance, as it harmonizes very happily with 
the corresponding loveliness of the spot. Nant- 
eos is the seat of W. E. Powell, Esq. M. P. 
Lord Lieutenant, and Gustos Rotulorum of the 
county of Cardigan. It is a very handsome 



104 

structure, and stands amidst grounds most 
tastefully arranged, and embosomed in a fine 
wood. 

LLANIRON. 

Eighteen miles from Aherystvcyth. 

The original name of this place is Llannerch- 
aeron, (from Llannerch, an open space in a 
wood, and Aeron, from the river,) which it is 
still called by all, except those who wish, by 
anglofying the names of places, to destroy our 
expressive and national characteristics. This 
noble house produces an elegant effect, stand- 
ing as it does, in a handsome park adorned 
with numerous and majestic trees. The cot- 
tages of the country people on this estate, are 
very superior both in comfort and beauty, and 
equal to the best in England ; a circumstance 
that deserves great commendation, as it too 
frequently happens that while the mansion of 
the landlord is in continual improvement, the 
cottage of the tenant is in so ruinous and de- 
graded a state as to be scarcely habitable. It 
was in this hundred, (liar,) and on a spot not 
far from this house, that a Cardiganshire Poet, 
forty years ago, wrote the following Pastoral 
ode. 



105 

Sweet Aeron's vale ! unknown in song. 

Demands the warbling lyre ; 
Shall silver Aeron glide along. 

And not a bard inspire ? 
What bard that Aeron sees, can fail 
To sing the charms of Aeron's vale ? 

There golden treasure swells the plains, 
And herds and flocks are there ; 

And there the god of Plenty reigns 
Triumphant all the year : 

The Nymphs are ga.j, the swains are hale ; 

Such blessings dwell in Aeron's vale. 

While every toast through Albion vies, 

In dubious competition ; 
And female charms contend the prize 

Of beauty's high ambition ; 
Sure Aeron's beauties must prevail, 
For angels dwell in Aeron's vale. 

Were I possessed of regal state, 

Presiding o'er a nation, 
With crowding senates at my feet 

In humble adoration, 
I'd envy — if envying might avail. 
The happy swains of Aeron's vale.* 



The stones to be picked up on the beach at 
Aberystwyth are in great plenty, and various 
in their kind. There have been recent in- 

* From our limited opinion of their merit, we were much 
tempted to reject the two latter stanzas of the above, espe- 
cially the closing one. 



106 



stances of industrious individuals making a 
considerable collection in course of the season; 
and ladies and gentlemen of rank and fashion 
have not disdained to wear them. They ge- 
nerally consist of 



Cornelians 


Agates 


Jaspers 


Moccos 


Moss Agates 


Crystals 


Moss pebbles 


Pudding stones 


Trap stones 



with a variety of other valuable pebbles, spar 
and crystals from the Mine Works. The 
Lapidaries who cut, sell, or set these, are, Mr. 
Wm. Jones, Watchmaker near the Assembly 
Rooms, and Mr. John Parry, Portland Street. 

Angling* 

To the votaries of the gentlemanly pastime 
of angling, Aberystwyth, with its many vicine 
streams and rivers, holds great temptation, 
both for the pleasure of the sport and contem- 
plation of sweet and majestic prospects, either 
of which will be amply gratified ; and few 
places can yield so enviable a day's excur- 
sion. The trout in the Ystwyth and Rheidol 
are small and not very numerous ; but the 
autumnal fishing for salmon and sewin is ex- 
cellent. 



107 



There is very good lake fishing in the neigh- 
bourhood, within a day's excursion, that is to 
say, between ten and twenty miles off. The 
fish are usually from a quarter to three quarters 
of a pound in weight. The flies are simple, 
generally blues and duns. 

Besides theRheidol and Ystwyth, there are 
the Lery, the Clarach, and many other streams 
in the immediate neighbourhood ; while the 
noble and far-famed Teivy is within reach. 
The pools of the Teivy are said to contain sin- 
gularly beautiful trout, that bear resemblance 
to those of no other river in the kingdom ; 
they are considered scarcely inferior to char. 
Tradition says, they were originally deposited 
there by the monks of Strata Florida, obtained 
in the first instance from some foreign lake. 
It is rather strange these ancient ecclesiastics, 
(a race, indeed, whose love of good cheer has 
always been proverbial,) should verify the 
gibes of satire, and appear to the eyes of pos- 
terity principally in the character of accom- 
plished epicures. It is bat justice to add, the 
author of this work has conversed with va- 
rious persons who have, for many years been 
in the habit of fishing in all parts of the 



108 



Teivy, who absolutely deny the existence of 
any t routs of the above description. Leland 
gives the credit of the possession of such fish 
to another river, called the Moy va, which falls 
into the Teivy about two miles and a quarter 
from the source of the latter. The Moyva, it 
seems, is formed by the junction of two streams; 
the southern one taking its rise at a place called 
Blaen Moyva; the northern one coming from 
Llyn Egnant, which is rather more than a mile 
in circumference. Leland calls it Lignant and 
Heligna, and says, "It hath no other Fisch but 
trouttes and elys. One side of the poole, and 
that is the south side, hath Trouttes as redde 
as salmon. The west side hath white, likewise 
as hath Llyn Tyve." In addition to the irre- 
sistable facinations of the sport, the angler may 
have the most felicitous treat of enjoying the 
scenic beauties that remain in utter seclusion 
from others, especially the falls of the Rheidol, 
described in another part of this work, which 
are utterly imperceptible on the road from the 
Devil's Bridge. 

Till within these few years, the depredation 
committed, and destruction caused, by people, 
in dragging tlie rivers with nets of an illegal 



log 



mesh, was most ruinous ; but latterly, a Fish- 
ing Club, for the prosecution of poachers, has 
been established at Aberystwyth; the mem- 
bers of which are, the country gentlemen of 
the vicine estates, strangers residing in the 
town, and annual visitors. Through their at- 
tention and vigilance in detecting such dis- 
graceful and nefarious practices, the rivers are 
fast returning to their original state of plenty. 

Although there had been races long before, 
on a confined scale, it was not till 1821 that 
they assumed the form of a regular establish- 
ment ; since which time, its rapid growth into 
importance has quite kept pace with the other 
marches of improvement connected with the 
town, and in a great degree they improve 
yearly. The annual period of the races may 
be said to be August ; the particular day has 
hitherto varied, but doubtless it will soon be 
durably fixed. Aberystwyth is obliged to the 
courtesy of Pryse Pryse, Esq. M. P. of Gog- 
erddan, for a race course, which is held in a 
field, finely situate for prospect, near his seat, 
and about three miles from the town. The 

K 



110 



races last two days. The nobility and gentry 
who attended last year, were very numerous ; 
and there was a fair display both of horses for 
the emulative contention of the day, and of the 
attendant carriages of the spectators, many of 
whom were of the first rank and fashion. 

Or, Cardiganshire Mines of Lead, Silver, and Copper, 

In the north-east part of the county are some 
Lead Mines, the ore of which is so rich in sil- 
ver, that the district has been called the Welsh 
Potosi. About three miles to the east is Es- 
gairvraith Copper Mine, and four miles south 
is Coginan Lead Mine ; but the mines more 
immediately in the vicinity of Aberystwyth 
are Cluernog and Cwmswmlog. A company of 
Geiman miners, in the reign of Queen Eliza- 
beth, made a prolific harvest in working the 
silver mines contiguous to tlie town, which 
were once considered inexhaustible, and calcu- 
lated to produce a hundred ounces of silver 
from a ton of lead, and to have created a profit 
of £2,000 per month. Severe reflections have 
been made, both by strangers and natives, on 
the iack of ingenuity and spirit of enterprize 



Ill 

discoverable in the people of this comntj, 
whose apathy continues them poor, although 
possessing a rich country : while they have the 
mortification to see strangers bear away their 
treasures, as well as the palm of industry 'dnd 
science. The late Mr. Lewis Morris, the fa- 
mous Antiquary, who worked many of the 
Cardiganshire mines of late years, was of opi- 
nion, that if he could have raised an adequate 
sum for carrying on the works, he could have 
drawn from them an annual profit of £12,000. 
In a letter written to his brother, about the 
year 1757, he speaks of Cardiganshire as the 
richest country he ever knew, with the fewest 
people of ingenuity and talent. Mr. Evans, in 
his tour, observes, " yet^ though this coontry 
is so prolific in mineral substance, still, from 
^he neglect of centuries, and the indolence, 
ignorance, and poverty of the present inhabi- 
tants, it may be said of its subterraneous trea- 
sures "• Terr oe per dunter opes Z'' and although 
the modern discoveries in chemistry have 
furnished much better means of separating 
the metal from the heterrogenous substances 
combined with it in the ore, both in the humid 
and empyreumatic way, diminishing labour, 
and encreasing the produce, yet metallurgy 
K 2 



L 



112 

seems to have made no advance. It is far 
from what it ought to be — a science." For 
an enlarged account of the great variety of 
mines in this county, and their produce, the 
reader is referred to " Meyrick's History and 
Antiquities of the County of Cardigan." 

The Muses also, have done their part in 
celebrating the Cardiganshire Mines, and the 
following extracts from a Poem on the subject, 
by Yaldon, possess considerable merit : 

" Where fair Sabrina flows around the coast. 
And aged Dovey in the ocean's lost. 
Her lofty brow unconquer'd Britain rears, 
And fenced with rocks, impregnable appears ? 
Which, like the well-fixt bars of nature show. 
To guard the treasures she conceals below. 
For Earth, distorted with her pregnant womb. 
Heaves up to give the forming embryo room : 
Hence vast excrescences of hills arise, 
And mountains swell to a portentous size. 
Low'ring and black the rugged coast appears, 
The sullen Earth a gloomy surface wears ; 
Yet, all beneath, deep as the centre, shines 
With native wealth, and more than Indian mines. 
Thus erring Nature her defects supplies. 
Indulgent oft, to what her sons despise : 
Oft in a rude, unfinish'd form, we find 
The noblest treasure of a gen'rous mind. 
* * * * 

The ancient Britons are a hardy race. 

Averse to luxury and slothful ease ; 

Their necks beneath a foreign yoke ne'er bow'd. 

In war unconquer'd, and of freedom proud ; 



113 

With minds resolved, they lasting toils endure, 
Unmix'd their language, and their manners pure. 
Wisely does Nature such an offspring chuse, 
Brave to defend her wealth, and slow to use ; 
Where thirst of empire ne'er inflames their veins. 
Nor avarice, nor wild ambition reigns; 
But low, in mines, they constant toils renew. 
And through the Earth their branching veins pursue. 

The secret cause in tuneful measures sing 

How metals first are framed, and whence they spring. 

Whether the active Sun, with chemic flames. 

Through porous Earth transmits his genial beams ; 

With heat impregnating the womb of night, 

The offspring shines with its paternal light : 

Or whether, urged by subterraneous flames. 

The Earth ferments, and flows in liquid streams ; 

Purged from their dross, the nobler parts refine. 

Receive new forms, and with fresh beauties shine ; 

Thus fluid parts, unknowing how to burn, 

With cold congeal'd, to solid metals turn : 

For metals only, from devouring flame 

Preserve their beauty, and return the same. 

Or whether by creation first they sprung. 

When yet unpoised the world's great fabric hung, 

Metals the basis of the world were made, 

The bars on which its fix'd foundation laid ; 

All second causes they disdain to own. 

And from th' Almighty's fiat sprung alone. 

* * * * 

How are thy realms, triumphant Britain ! blest 
Enrich'd with more than all the distant west ! 
To Dovey's flood shall num'rous traders come, 
Employ'd to fetch the British bullion home, 
To pay their tributes to its bounteous shore, 
Returning laden with the Cambrian ore. 
Her absent fleet Potosi's race shall mourn, 

And wish in vain to see our sails return. 

* « * * 

K 3 



114 

HoTv Cambria's mines were to her offspring known, 

Thus sacred verse transmits the story down ; 

Merlin, a bard of the inspired train. 

With mystic nnmbers charm'd the British plain f 

Beloved by Phoebus and the tuneful nine, 

His song was sacred, and his art divine : 

As on Sabrina's fruitful banks he stood. 

His wond'rous verse restrain'd the list'ning flood ; 

The stream's bright Goddess raised her awful head. 

And to her cave the artful shepherd led ; 

Her swift-descending steps the youth pursues, 

And rich in ore the specious mountain views. 

In beds, distinct, tlie well ranged metals lay, 

Dispersing raj^s, and counterfeiting day. 

The silver, shedding beams of orient light, 

Struck with too fierce a glare his aching sight; 

Like rising flames the ruddy copper show'd. 

And spread its blushes o'er the dark abode r 

Profuse of rays, and in unrivai'd beams. 

The liquid silver flow'd in restless streams : 

Not India's sparkling gems are half so bright, 

Nor waves above, that shine with Heavenly light. 



The rest of the Poem is an eulogy on Sir 
Humphrey Mackworth, and like all compli- 
mentary poetry, interesting only to those to 
^vhom it is addressed. "It was under the 
sanction of the great Lord Bacon, that Sir 
Hugh Middleton, and the famous chyraist Mr. 
Bashell, that the Germ^an miners came into 
this country in the reign of Qaeen Elizabeth. 
They discovered mines in abundance, and 
orected a Mint at Aberystwyth. The new ri- 



115 



ver, at Islington, is a lasting monument of the 
riches found by them in this country." — 
Paynter's Letter to Bishop Squire. The An- 
cient Britons wrought the mines in Cardigan- 
shire, probably from their first settlement in 
Cymry, and no doubt excelled equally in their 
manufacture of the silver, as they did of the 
gold in other parts of the country. With re- 
gard to their skill in the latter, we may judge 
of it from the Historical Triad, which ce- 
lebrates Caswallon, Manawydan, and Llew 
Llawgyves, as the three chiefs who possessed 
golden cars. The first of these lived about 
fifty years before Christ, the second in the 
beginning of the first century, and the last at 
the close of the fifth. It is probable that the 
Britons wished to conceal the rich mines of 
Cardiganshire, from the avaricious Romans, 
and this nest of riches might be one reason, 
why these old Silures fought so manfully for 
their country, under Caractacus and others. 
Indeed, the speech of that celebrated chief 
proves that Ihey had at that time, and wished 
still to keep the knowledge of the mines from 
the Romans, as Caractacus asks why they 
should covet his poor huts, when they had 
such splendid palaces of their own. Had tlie 



L 



116 



Romans been acquainted with the riches of 
this country, they would have replied that it 
was not the huts, but the mines they wanted. 
If, therefore, the Romans did work these 
mines, which must be mere conjecture, as no 
Roman coins, or any other vestiges of that 
people are ever found in them, it must have 
been not much more than during two hundred 
years. The Welsh, as has been observed, un- 
derstood the use of metals, but after the de- 
parture of the Romans, self-preservation was 
all they could attend to, and peaceful science 
gave place to cruel wars. Yet, notwithstand- 
ing this, it must have been owing to these 
riches, in a great measure, that they were en- 
abled to carry on the wars against the English. 
For some centuries after the conquest in Eng- 
land, the Crown asserted its prerogative in the 
ownership of all mines and minerals. No 
person could search for ore unless empowered 
by the royal grant, which was sometimes con- 
fined to particular counties, and sometimes 
extended to the kingdom at large. By certain 
legal instruments, in the reign of Elizabeth, as 
well as by those of former reigns, a power was 
given to sink shafts any where, except in gar- 
dens, or under the foundations of castles or 



117 

houses. This unlimited invasion of private 
property, and public rights, asserted immemo- 
rially, but irreconcileable to reason and jus- 
tice, was resisted, though unsuccessfully, by 
the Earl of Northumberland, in a suit with 
the Crown, or the persons holding under it, 
respecting the copper mines on his mannor of 
Keswick. The lawyers decided for the pre- 
rogative, on the ground that gold or silver 
found in any mine, constituted that a royal 
mine ; and as the baser metals, in most cases^, 
contain some particles of the nobler, the dis- 
covery of the smallest particle, of however 
little value, transferred that mineral property 
from the hands of the subject, to the Crown. 
In the reign of William and Mary, the Crown 
abandoned its pretension to copper, tin, iron, 
and lead mines, only claiming the gold or 
silver contained in the ore, whatever may be 
its quantity, at the current price of the base 
metal, of which the ore professedly consists. 



118 

Sixteen mites from Aberystwyth. 

Havod, the splendid seat of the celebrated 
T. Johnes, Esq. stands on a rich lawn, amidst 
scenery of the most romantic description. It 
is a light and airy edifice, in the Gothic style, 
the interior of which is commodious, and 
magnificently furnished ; the library contains 
many scarce and valuable books, and the apart- 
ments are decorated with paintings by the first 
Masters. Mr. Johnes was a benefactor to the 
country in the largest sense of the word. A 
Philosopher has said, that the man who makes 
two blades of grass grow where only one grew 
before, is greater than the greatest hero : if 
this be true, Mr. Johnes must rank before all 
the conquerors of the world, as he has made 
the barren wilderness around him to smile, and 
converted the worthless heath into weaving 

♦ On Friday, March 13th, 1807, a fire broke out in this 
splendid mansion, and raged with such fury, that the whole 
house was completely destroyed. The rich furniture, nu- 
merous paintings, the greatest part of the books, many va- 
luable manuscripts, &c. fell a prey to the flames. The loss 
was estimated at ^"70,000, and some of the articles no money 
can replace. The house has been rebuilt in the same style, 
JJavod Implies " Summer residence." 



119 



woods, luxuriant cornfields, and pastures; The 
adjoining pleasure grounds are extremely 
beautiful, and contain some fine cascades, 
which merit a particular detail. The most 
romantic scenery here displays itself; and in 
this apparently wild country, two flower gar- 
dens are astonishingly placed on the summit of 
two rocks. One of these is ornamented with a 
Doric temple, from a design in Stuart's Athens. 
The other garden, called " Miss Jolines's," is 
ornamented with a a beautiful column, for the 
the late Duke of Bedford ; a curious moss 
house and vase, by Banks, on which a few lines 
to the memory of a Robin Redbreast, from the 
muse of Rogers, are inscribed. A cold bath, 
pineries, peacheries, graperies, &c. are here, 
and the strangely extreme contrast of foaming 
cataracts. For a minute account of the va- 
luable paintings and decorations of Havod, the 
reader is referred to " Meyrick's History and 
Antiquities of Cardiganshire," whence we ex- 
tract the following well written remarks, after 
the dreadful fire which destroyed this princely 
mansion. " Independently of the £30,000 for 
which a part was insured, Colonel Jolines's" 
loss is estimated at £70,000. But the pecu- 
niary loss to a man of true taste^ whose whole 
life had been occupied in forming the most 



120 

astonishiiijr concentration of literature and the 
fine arts, must be but trifling, when compared 
with the dreadful sight of sudden desolation to 
all his labours. However, happily for him- 
self and those devoted to literature and taste, 
his assiduity and perseverance in making this 
wonder of Wales, have only been equalled by 
his more than human reconciliation to the cir- 
cumstance, and his determined resolution to 
raise another Phoenix " 

Havod has been visited and described by 
writers of the first eminence, but every at- 
tempted description has ended with the wri- 
ter's declaration of inability to do justice to 
his subject ; such was the case with Cumber- 
land, whose masterly picture (far the best on 
record,) he modestly calls ''An attempt to 
describe Havod /' therefore, as the most em- 
phatic close to a subject literally inexhaustible 
to pause and dilate on, we present the reader 
with 



Havod is a place in itself so pre-eminently 
beautiful that it highly merits a particular 
description. It stands surrounded by so many 



I 



121 



noble scenes, diversified with elegance as well 
as with grandeur ; the country on the approach 
to it, is so very wild and uncommon, and the 
place itself is now so embellished by art, that 
it will be difficult, I believe, to point out a 
spot that can be put in competition with it, 
considered as the object of the Painter's eye, 
the Poet's mind, or as a desirable residence for 
those who, admirers of the beautiful wildness 
of Nature, love also to inhale the pure air of 
aspiring mountains, and enjoy that "Santo 
pace," as the Italians expressively term it, 
which arises from solitudes made social by a 
family circle. From the porticos, it com- 
mands a woody, narrow winding vale; the 
undulating forms of whose ascending, shaggy 
sides, are richly clothed with various foliage, 
broken with silver waterfalls, and crowned 
with climbing sheepwalks stretching to the 
clouds. 

Neither are the luxuries of life absent ; for 
on the margin of the Ystwyth, where it flows 
broadest through this delicious vale, we see 
hot-houses and a conservatory; beneath the 
rocks a bath ; amid the recesses of the wood a 
flower garden ; and within the building, whose 



122 

decorations, though rich, are pure and simple, 
we find a mass of rare and valuable literature, 
whijse pages here seem doubly precious, where 
meditation finds a scope to range unmolested. 

In a word, so many are the delights afforded 
by the scenery of this place and its vicinity, 
to a mind imbued with any taste, that the 
impression on mine was increased after an 
interval of ten years from the first visit, em- 
ployed chiefly in travelling among the Alps 
and Appenines, the Sabine hills and the Ty- 
rolese, along the shores of the Adriatic, over 
the Glaciers of Switzerland, and up the Rhine ; 
where, though in search of beauty, I never, I 
feel, saw any thing so fine — never so many 
pictures concentrated in one spot; so that, 
warned by the renewal of my acquaintance 
with them, I am irresistibly urged to attempt 
a description of the hitherto almost virgin 
liaunts of these obscure mountains. 

Wales and its borders, both north and south, 
abound at intervals with fine things — Pierce- 
field has grounds of great magnificence, and 
Avonderfully picturesque beauty ; Downton 
Castle has a delicious woody vale, most taste- 



123 

fully managed ; Llangollen is brilliant ; the 
banks of the Conway savagely grand; Bar- 
mouth romantically rural; the great Pistill 
Rhayader is horribly wild ; Rhayader Wennol 
gay, and gloriously irregular ; — each of which 
merits a studied description. But at Havod 
and its neighbourhood^ IJind the effects of all 
in one circle; united with this peculiarity, 
that the deep dingles, and mighty woody 
slopes, which from a different scource, con- 
duct the Rheidol's never-failing waters from 
Plymlimon, and the Mynach, are of an unique 
character, as mountainous forests, accompany- 
ing gigantic si/e with graceful forms : and 
taken altogether, I see the sv/eetest interchange 
of hill and valley, rivers, woods, and plains, 
and falls with forests crowned, rocks, dens, 
and caves ; insomuch that it requires little en- 
thusiasm there, to feel forcibly with Milton, 

" All things that be. 
Send up from Earth's great altar silent praise." 

There are four fine walks from the house, 
chiefly through ways artificially made by the 
propietor ; all dry, kept clean, and composed 
of materials found on the spot; which is chiefly 
a coarse stone, of a greyish cast, friable in 
many places, and like slate, but oftener con« 
l2 



124 

sisting of immense masses, that cost the Miner 
in making some part of these walks excessive 
labour; for there are places where it was ne- 
cessary to perforate the rock many yards, in 
order to pass a promontory, that jutting across 
the way, denied further access, and to go round 
which you must have taken a great tour, and 
made a fatiguing descent. As it is, the walks 
are so constructed, that few are steep; the 
transitions easy, the returns commodious, and 
the branches distinct. Neither are they too 
many, for much is left to future projectors ; 
land if a man be stout enough to range the un- 
derwoods, and fastidious enough to reject all 
trodden paths, he may, almost every where, 
stroll from the studied line, till he be glad to 
regain the friendly conduct of the well-known 
way. Yet, one must be nice, not to be content 
at first, to visit the best points of view by the 
general routine ; for all that is here done, has 
been to remove obstructions, reduce the ma- 
terials, and conceal the art ; and we are no 
where presented with attempts to force the 
untamed streams, or indeed, to invent any 
thing where Nature, the great mistress, has left 
all art behind. 



125 
Sttata ^loriUa; 

OR, YSTRAD FLUR ABBEY. 

Sixteen miles from Aberystwyth. 

Ystrad Flur (pronounced Ystrad Fleer) sig- 
nifies "the plain near the Flur ;" and its more 
general name of Strata Florida, is of the same 
import, as Flur signifies blooming,* which 
like all proper names in Wales, was fully cha- 
racteristic, as the river ran through a country 
very luxuriant, that formed a beautiful con- 
trast to the dreary barren hills encompassing 
it. Ystrad Flur was most noted for its once 
celebrated Abbey, the rival of Conway for the 
favour and munificence of the Welsh Princes, 
the chief depot of the records of the nation, 
and all that was valuable and civilized. The 
original structure was founded by Rhys ap 

* The moyA fliir is used in this sense by the Welsh Lyric 
Poet, David ap Gwelym, who flourished about the year 
1400. He says, 

" Digon i'r byd o degwch 
Eigyr brydyZwr, a brad flwch," 
that is " Enough of beauty for the world, is the blooming 
countenance of the nymph of ready deceit." And again 
he says, 

" Arglwys hevijlur y glasbawr." 

which means, " And the purely gay bloom of the green pas- 
ture." 

L o 



126 



Griffith, Prince of South Wales, in 1164, but 
to what order of monks dedicated, is not pre- 
cisely agreed upon among our antiquaries. 
The present structure was built, according to 
Dugdale, by the Abbot, in the reign of Ed- 
ward I. in the year 1294, but the original one 
stood about two miles from this, in a south- 
west direction, on a plain near the river Flur, 
where still remains an old building, now used 
as a barn, called Hen Monachlog, which means 
"the old Abbey." The present Strata Flo- 
rida, is retiredly situated upon excellent mea- 
dow land, and near the beautiful and rapid 
Teivy. The church is a paltry edifice, erected 
in the cemetery of the abbey, which stands to 
the south, proudly overtopping its contempti- 
ble rival. The old church-yard, as it is called, 
is a very large plot of ground, surrounded with 
a stone wall, but the present one is about two 
acres. The extent of the old cemetery is said 
to be one hundred and twenty acres, and 
leaden coffins are frequently dug up within 
that space ; but what tends most to confirm 
this is, that so much of the abbey land does 
not pay tithe. Leland says thirty-nine yews 
were once standing in it; and tradition re- 
cords, that David ab Gwelym is buried under 



127 

one of them. The historical notices of Strata 
Florida, are too numerous and extensive to be 
quoted here at large ; therefore let it suffice to 
observe, that among the various records and 
literary treasures preserved here, were several 
copies of the Chronicles written by Caradoc 
of Llancarvan : and the succession of the 
Princes, recorded from the year 1156 till 1270, 
the moment of Llewelyn ap Griffith's unhappy 
fall. At that period, the reverend Ecclesias- 
tics of Strata Florida quitted that sequestered 
abode, and were the bearers of their Prince's 
remonstrance to the English Throne ; and in- 
terceded with the Archbishops of Canterbury 
and York, for their good offices in relieving 
him from the insults and oppressions of tliose 
pests of humanity, the Lords of the Marches. 
Not the least among its claims to the attention 
of posterity was its magnificence in the year 
1237, when Llewelyn ap lorwerth invited all 
the lords and barons of Wales to Ystrad Flur, 
and required from them the oaths of allegiance 
to his son David. Those Avho now visit the 
spot will scarcely credit, at first sight, that the 
whole country round could furnish accommo- 
dation for such a company, or that this could 
be the theatre of such ceremonies, as now are 



128 

solemnized under the awful roof of Westmin- 
ster. But when they call to mind the influence 
of superstition, and the immense territorial 
possessions of the Abbey, they will have no 
cause to wonder. The Welsh princes, lords, 
and eminent characters buried here, were very 
many. During the period from the disso- 
lution to the present time, this once proud 
edifice has been rapidly decaying; all that 
now remains is the western entrance of the 
church, a very fine specimen of the Saxon 
arch, and a Gothic window of the south aisle. 
A lofty pile which once formed the western an- 
gle of the north transept, seems as if it had not 
long to survive its long-fallen kindred heaps. 
Some of the out-houses still remain. The ar- 
chitecture of the abbey was the circular arch, 
as appears by the western door, a print of the 
abbey by Buck, shewing the window of the 
north transept before it fell, and from several 
freestone ornaments having circles touching 
each other carved on them, once formed arches. 
The walls had glazed tiles affixed to them, in 
the style of the paintings we meet with in old 
Missals, marked with quatrefoils ; and these 
are frequently dug up, as are the tiles of the 
pavement, which consisted of interesting cir- 



1^ 

cles, &c. Painted glass has also been found ; 
indeed it seems that no expence was spared to 
render this a most magnificent building. 

" Now Teivi let us tell thy sundry glories here." 

Dravton. 

The Teivy, although not in the immediate 
vicinity of Aberystwyth, is still within the 
day's sport of the enterprising angler ; and 
being by far the noblest river of Wales, is too 
tempting a subject to pass by unnoticed. The 
Teivy, rises in Llyn Teivy, or Teivy Lake, 
which is in the mountain, about two miles to 
the north-east of Strata Florida. On the top 
of this mountain are Rye lakes, of which the 
Teivy is the principal. Its circumference may 
probably be about a mile and a half. It is said 
not to have been fathomed, and is encompassed 
by a high and perpendicular ridge, which at 
once feeds and confines its everlasting waters. 
It has been thought by some to have been a 
crater, but the stones with which the margins 
of all these lakes abound (and none so much as 
Llyn Teivy) bear at present no volcanic ap- 
pearance. The other lakes being higher, ther^ 



ISO 

is no prospect here except in the direction of 
Strata Florida; and that, though extensive, 
has little beauty. The rocks and stones with 
which the ground is encumbered, without any 
relief or vegetation, render the appearance of 
the mountain itself uncouth and disgusting. 
The distant hills on this side have no very 
striking character, and the flat which inter- 
venes is so low, as to be indistinct. Leland 
says, "of al the pooles none standith in so 
rokky snd stony soil as Tyve doth, that hath 
withyn hym riany slonis. The ground al 
about TjvQ, and a great mile of toward Strat- 
fler, is horrible with the sighte of bare stones, 
as Cregeryri Mountains be. Llin Tyve is in 
compare a iii quarters of a mile, being ii miles 
be east from Stratefiere. It is fedde fro hyer 
Places, with a little Broket, and issueth out 
again by a smaulle Gut. Ther is in it veri 
good Trouttes and Elys, and noe other Fisch. 
Tyve (river) rennith from the hedde stil almost 
playne west, ontille he touch ith within a vi 
miles of Cuirmardin, and then turnith toward 
the north." The river Teivy issues from the 
lake by so small an outlet, as seems impossible 
to form so bold a river as it appears near Car- 
digan, Its course down the mountains is much 



131 



retarded by rocks ; it rumbles through the 
stony tract without any decided channel, and 
is not invested with the usual appendage of 
banks, till it reaches Strata Florida. A dry 
catalogue of all the curvings and feedings of 
the Teivy, from the various brooks, streams, 
and rivers, would aiford the reader no amuse- 
ment, we therefore i)ass all by till it reaches 
Newcastle Emlyn. Here its course becomes 
impeded by rocks, through which it furrows a 
deep tortuous, and noisy course, and rolls with 
much impetuosity under the venerable bridge. 
The castle is almost surrounded by it, and it 
serves the purpose of a moat, which is double 
where the river first comes in. The verdure 
of the valley, thus intersected, adds a Iiigh 
gree of beauty to the singularity of the cir- 
cumstance. This horseshoe bend is far more 
curious and striking than that on the Wye. 
Nothing of particular interest now occurs, till 
the river approaches the neighbourhood of 
Cardigan, when a grand object presents itself 
on the Pembrokeshire side, the vast and mas- 
sive remains of 

CILGERRAN CASTLE, 

which crowns a tremendous precipice, and 



132 



consists principally of two circular towers, 
with part of a gateway finely mantled w ith ivy. 
Rather lower down, on the opposite side, is a 
house standing in a wood, called Coedmawr. 
Here also was anciently a castle. The river 
continues a north-western course, between two 
and three miles further, when Cardigan, the 
county town, presents itself to the view. This, 
from its sitation, is in Welsh called Aberteivy. 
Here a river, four miles in extent, from the 
north, flows into it. Having now materially 
enlarged its stream, the Teivy takes a curve 
round an old fort, and flows with surprising 
grandeur into St. George's channel. The 
Teivy salmon are well known in England for 
their superiority, and no river in Wales can 
produce their equal. The following account, 
from Giraldus Cambrensis, of a celebrated 

SALMON LEAP, 

will be found particularly interesting. " The 
noble river Teivi flows here, and abounds 
more than any other river of Wales with the 
finest salmon. It has a productive fishery near 
Cilgerran, which is situated on the summit of 
a rock, at a place called Canorch Mawr, the 
ancient residence of St. Ludoc ; where the ri- 



133 



ver falling from a great height forms a cataract, 
which the salmon ascend by leaping from tlie 
bottom to the top of a rock, which is about the 
height df the longest spear ; and would ap- 
pear wonderful, were it not the nature of that 
species of fish to leap : hence they have re- 
ceived the name of salmon from salio. Their 
particular manner of leaping (as I have speci- 
fied in my Topography of Ireland) is thus : 
Fish of this kind, naturally swimming against 
the course of the river, (for as birds fly against 
the wind, so do fish swim against the stream,) 
on meeting with any sudden obstacle, bend 
their tail towards their mouth, and sometimes, 
in order to give a greater power to their leap, 
they press it with their mouths, and suddenly 
freeing themselves from this circular form, 
they spring with great force (like a bow let 
loose) from the bottom to the top of the leap, 
to the great astonishment of the beholders. 
The church, dedicated to St. Ludoc, the mill, 
bridge, salmon leap, and orchard, with a de- 
lightful garden, all stand together on a small 
plot of ground." Giraldus next goes on to 
describe an animal, once exclusively a native 
of the Teivy, but existing no more in Britain, 

M 



134 



THE BEAVER. 

As this has been thought by some, a subject 
of curiosity, and by others made a bone of 
controversy, it may not be amiss to give the 
account of Giraldus and his commentators on 
that head. Giraldus continues, "The Teivy 
has another singular particularity, being the 
only river in Wales, or even in England, which 
has Beavers. In Scotland they are said to be 
found in one river, but are very scarce. I 
think it not a useless labour, to insert a few re- 
marks respecting the nature of these animals ; 
the manner in which they bring their materials 
from the woods to the water, and with what 
skill they connect them in the construction of 
their dwellings in the midst of rivers ; their 
means of defence on the eastern and western 
sides against hunters, and also . concerning 
their fish-like tails. The Beavers, in order to 
construct their castles in the middle of rivers, 
make use of animals of their own species in- 
stead of carts, who, by a wonderful mode of 
carriage, convey the trees from the woods to 
the rivers. Some of them obeying the dictates 
of nature, receive on their bellies the logs of 
-wood cut off by their associates, which they 



135 

hold tight with their feet, and thus, with tra- 
verse pieces placed in their mouths, are drawn 
along backwards, with their cargo, by other 
Beavers who fasten themselves with their teeth 
to the raft. The Moles use a similar artifice in 
clearing out the dirt from the cavities they form 
by scraping. In some deep and still corner of 
the river, the Beavers use such skill in the con- 
struction of their habitations, that not a drop 
of water can penetrate, or the force of storms 
shake them ; nor do they fear any violence, 
but that of mankind, nor even that, unless well 
armed : they entwine the branches of willows 
with other wood, and different kinds of leaves, 
to the usual height of the water, and having 
made withinside a communication from floor 
to floor, they elevate a kind of stage or scaffold, 
from which they may observe and watch the 
rising of the waters. In the course of time, 
their habitations bear the appearance of a 
grove of willow trees, rude and natural witli- 
out, but artfully constructed within. This 
animal can remain in or under water at its 
pleasure, like the frog or seal, who shew, by 
the smoothness or roughness of their skins, the 
flux aud reflux of the sea ; these three animals 
therefore live indifferently under the water, or 
M 2 



1 



136 

in the air, and have short legs, broad bodies, 
stubbed tails, and resemble the mole in their 
corporal shape. It is worthy of remark, that 
the Beaver has but four teeth, two above and 
two below, which being broad and sharp, cut 
like a carpenter's axe, and as such he uses 
them. They make excavations and dry hiding- 
places, in the banks near their dwellings, and 
when they hear the stroke of the hunter, who 
with sharp poles endeavours to penetrate them, 
they fly as soon as possible to the defence of 
their castles, having first blown out the water 
from the entrance of the hole, and rendered it 
foul and muddy by scraping the earth, in 
order thus artfully to elude the stratagems of 
the well armed hunter, who is watching them 
from the opposite banks of the river. ¥/hen 
the Beaver finds he cannot save himself from 
the pursuit of the dogs who follow him, that 
he may ransom his body by the sacrifice of a 
part, he throws away that which by natural 
instinct he knows to be the object sought for, 
and in the sight of the hunter castrates him- 
self; from which circumstance he has gained 
the name of Castor : and if by chance the dogs 
should chase an animal which had been pre- 
viously castrated, he has the sagacity to run 



137 

to an elevated spot, and there lifting up his 
leg, shews the hunter that the object of his 
pursuit is gone." 

Cicero, speaking of them, says, " They ran- 
some themselves by that part of the body for 
which they are chiefly sought after." And 
Juvenal says, 

" Qui se 



Eunuchum ipse facit evadere damno 
Testiculi." 

And St. Bernard, 

" Prodit enim castor proprio de corpore velox 
Reddere, quas sequitur hostis avaras opes." 

Thus therefore in order to preserve his skin, 
which is sought after in the west, and the 
medicinal parts of his body, which is coveted 
in the east, although he cannot save himself 
entirely, yet, by a wonderful instinct and sa- 
gacity, he endeavours to avoid the stratagems 
of his pursuers. The Beavers have broad 
short tails, thick, like the palm of a hand, 
which they use as a rudder in swimming ; and 
although the rest of their body is hairy, this 
part, like that of seals, is without hair and 
smooth, upon which account, in Germany and 
the Arctic Regions, where Beavers abound^ 
M 3 



138 



great and religious persons in times of fast- 
ing, eat the tails of this fish-like animal, as 
having both the taste and colour of fish. Sir 
Ilichard Hoare, the last commentator on Gi- 
raldus, very erroneously imagines the Beaver 
and the common Otter to be one and the same 
creature, as two distinct animals are men- 
tioned in the Welsh Laws, the Llostydan, or 
broad-tailed. Beaver, and the Dyvrgi, or Ot- 
ter. The former being estimated in those laws 
at the exorbitant price of one hundred and 
twenty pence, and the latter only at eight 
pence. 

Naturalists give the following account of 
the Beaver. It is about three feet in length, 
and its remarkable tail nearly a foot. The 
head is thick and pyramidal, ending in a blunt 
nose. There are two strong cutting teeth in 
each jaw, and four grinders on each side in 
both jaws. The ears are short and nearly hid 
in the fur. The tail, which is flat, thin hori- 
zontally, and about three inches broad, has a 
fourth part of its length, nearest the body, 
bairy ; the rest, which is entirely naked of 
hair, is covered with actual scales, like those 
of a fish. The neck is thick and short ; and 



139 



the body strongly made, and highly arched in 
the back. The feet have five toes each, and 
the fore feet, which are small, have the toes di- 
vided : while the hind feet are not only large 
but connected by a web or membrane. The 
body is covered with two coats of fur : one of 
which is very soft, downy, and of an ash co- 
lour ; the other long, coarse, and of a chesnut 
brown, which is the common colour of the 
animal. The colour, however, greatly varies 
in different parts of the world, being darker in 
general, as we go further north ; so as, some- 
times, to be found entirely black, which is 
considered the most valuable fur. Not unfre- 
quently the colour is uniformly white ; and 
sometimes it is white spotted with ash colour, 
or interspersed with reddish hairs. Cart- 
wright, in his journal on the Coast of Labra- 
dore, gives us a curious account of the houses 
of these animals made with sticks, though not 
so marvellous as that of Giraldus. Mr. Pen- 
nant gives the following description of another 
native of this river, 

THE OTTER. 

" It has a black nose ; and the upper jaw is 
larger and broader than the lower. It has long 



140 

white whiskers ; the eyes are hazel ; and the 
ears are small, erect, and conic. In the upper 
jaw are six cutting teeth, in the lower four. 
The grinders are broad, adapted for break- 
ing and comminuting crustaceous animals and 
shell fish. The skin is thick ; the hair, which 
is thick and long, is excessively black and 
glossy ; and beneath it there is a soft down. 
The colour sometimes varies to silvery. The 
legs are thick and short ; the toes are covered 
with hair, and joined by a web. The hind 
feet are exactly like those of a seal, and have 
a membrane skirting the outside of the exte- 
rior, like that of a goose. The length from 
nose to tail, is usually about three feet ; but 
there have been instances of some being a foot 
longer. The tail, which is thirteen inches and 
a half long, is flat, fullest of hair in the middle, 
and sharp pointed." In short, the description 
of any of the three species of Otter, will by 
no means apply to the Beaver. Among the 
curious objects presented by the Teivy, will 
be found those singular ancient boats called 

CORACLES. 

These curious vessels are constructed of wil- 
low twigs, in the manner of basket-work, and 



141 



are covered with a raw hide, or canvass 
pitched in such a manner as to prevent leak- 
ing. They are generally five feet and a half 
long, and four broad, their bottom is a little 
rounded, and their shape exactly oval. A 
seat crosses just above the centre toward the 
broad end. They are carried up against the 
stream on the owner's back, sometimes many 
miles, till arriving at the desired part of the 
river it is put into the water, wlien the men 
paddle down the river again with one hand, 
and fish with the other. On coming to rocky 
descents or falls in the river, they are lifted 
out and carried past the spot of danger, when 
the men resume their occupation, and when 
their work is finished, bring home their boats 
with them, on their backs. These simply-con- 
structed vessels are specimens of the original 
British navigation, according to Julius Cajsar, 
who made them turn to a good account in 
his Spanish expedition against Pompey ; for 
CaBsar's bridges over the Segre, being hurried 
away by the torrent, he transported his le- 
gions across it in vessels of this construction. 
Pliny, in his account of Britain, speaks of 
a six days' navigation in the open sea with 
these coracles. 



142 



From Carlisle and Meyrick. 

The History of this castle is interesting : it 
is said to have been the residence of Cadwala- 
der, the last King of the Britons: in llOQj 
when Cadwgan ap Bleddyn's dominions were 
bestowed on Gilbert Strongbow, Earl of Stri- 
gil, this fortress fell of course to his possession : 
in III65 Griffith ap Rhys laid seige to it, but 
was dreadfully handled by Ralph Steward: 
in 1135, Owen Gwyneth and Cadwalader, his 
brother, in revenge for their sister's murder 
by Maurice de Londres, destroyed this castle, 
which was very strong, and well garrisoned. 
It seems, however, to have been soon repaired 
or rebuilt by Cadwalader, who is styled. Lord 
of Cardigan, and had his usual residence in 
this castle, until the unnatural rencontre be- 
tween him and his son-in-law, Anarod ap 
Griffith, 

" Animosus Anarawd a Socero cassus." 

Pentarchia. 

when it was burnt down by his brother, Owen 
Gwyneth : in 1208, Maelgwn ap Rhys being 



143 



Apprehensive of a hostile visit from Llewelyn 
ap lorwerth, and despairing of making any 
stand against him, demolished this his castle ; 
it was rebuilt by Llewelyn: in 1211, King 
John having subdued all Wales, on his depar- 
ture, charged Foulke, Viscount Cardiff, War- 
den of the Marches, to oblige Rhys and Owen 
ap Griffith ap Rhys to surrender this castle, 
with which they complied ; and it was fortified 
by the Warden, but soon retaken and demo- 
lished by Maelgwn and Rhys Vychan : in 
1222, Rhys ap Griffith, having differed with 
Llewelyn ap lorwerth respecting a division of 
property, united his forces to those of the Earl 
of Pembroke, which so irritated Llewelyn, that 
he took his castle of Aberystwyth and all its 
dependences : from this period history is silent, 
until the year 1277, when Rhys ap Meredith 
of the Royal House of South Wales, surren- 
dered the strong fortress of Ystrad Towy to 
Edward I. who for the better defence of his 
newly-acquired possession, erected a castle at 
Aberystwyth, which was taken, in 1282, by 
Rhys ap Maelgwn and Griffith ap Meredith 
ap Owen, with other Noblemen of South 
Wales : it was taken by the Prince of Wales, 
during the insurrection of Owen Glyndower ; 



144 

but soon retaken by Owen, who garrisoned 
it strongly with his brave countrymen. 

Carlisle. 

It seems that in the year 1114 Griffith ap 
Rhys having gained many signal victories 
over the Normans, the inhabitants of Cardi- 
ganshire, fearing his next expedition might 
be against them, sent to him an offer of the 
government of their country. But still, seve- 
ral Normans remained in the country ; and 
the first step Griffith ap Rhys took, was to 
besiege them in Cardigan Iscoed, in a fort 
built by the Flemings called Blaen Forth 
Gwythan. Having conquered them here, he 
pursued and destroyed them as far as Penme- 
dic; then taking the castle of Stradpeithyll, he 
encamped at Plas Crug, purposing to besiege 
Aberystwyth castle next morning ; but want 
of provision for his army, induced him to take 
cattle from the sanctuary of Llanbadarn, which 
much provoked the clergy. The next morn- 
ing he encamped on the side of Pendinas hill, 
where he summoned a council to determine 
what engines could be most advantageously 
employed in the siege. The Normans ob- 
serving their disorder, sent out some archers 



145 



to skirmish with them, and by degrees to draw 
them to the bridge over the Rheidol, where 
some of the best armed horsemen were ready 
to set upon them. The Welsh, not knowing 
the number of the garrison, hastily pursued 
the Normans, who had feigned a retreat to the 
bridge ; when here, some Norman horse also 
appearing to be discomfited, the Welsh fol- 
lowed the Normans to the castle. In the 
mean time a party of horse that had been sta- 
tioned in ambuscade, fell upon their rear, and 
those who afiected to fly, now faced about, 
and attacked them most furiously in front, so 
that every man of the Welsh army was cut to 
pieces. Meyrick. 



i^Ia^ (Itxng* 

Its occupation by Owen Glyndower. — His Treaty with Charles 
ri. of France, 6fc. 

There are few places that have suffered 
greater vicissitudes, or that offer to our con- 
templation greater contrasts than Plas Crug, 
in its present repreliensible degradation, com- 
pared with its olden fame and magnificence. 
The ancient, and favourite seat of Princes- — 

N 



146 

the palace of the Rheidol — the well- defended 
and impregnable castle of Llanbadarn (as it 
was also called,*) is row the disgrace of the 
landscape, the eje-sore of the prospect, a blur 
upon the face of nature, the very vilest of low 
farms — attached to a square tower, the only 
remaining portion of this once celebrated for- 
tress ; which, to complete the acme of its 
wretchedness, is so flooded in winter, as to be 
absolutely isolated, and almost covered. At 
all times it is completely surrounded by a bog. 
Tradition says that there is a subterraneous 
communication between this place and Llanba- 
darn vawr, and even with Aberj- stwyth castle, 
w hich, though strange, is not impossible ; but 
no person pretends to shew the commencement 
or termination of such passages. 

Not the least among the glories of Plas Crug, 
was the latest blaze of its magnificence — the 
period of its occupation by that astonishing 
character Owen Glyndower, in the brightest 
season of his successes. It was here that the 
French Plenipotentiaries were entertained by 



* Plas Crug has been known I)y various names, and 
among other, according to Pennant, it was called Ty Cryf, 
or the Strong House. 



147 



him, and a treaty offensive and defensive be- 
tween France and Wales ratified, on the 12th 
of January, 1405.* The Rev. Thomas Tho- 
mas, the recent Biographer of Owen Glyn- 
dower, says, " This grand league and alliance 
"with the French nation, gave our countryman 
a name among the nations of Europe." " The 
Ambassadors chosen by Owen, to transact this 
important affair, were his chancellor Griffith 
Younge, Doctor of Laws, and his kinsman 
John Hanmer. The instrument appointing 
them Ambassadors, is dated from Dolgelley, in 
a style worthy of a Prince of Wales : ' Datum 
apud, Doleguelle, io die raensis Mali, M,CCCC. 
quarto, et Principatus nostri quarto.' It begins, 
'Owenus Dei gratia Princeps Walliae, &c.' The 
Welsh Plenipotentiaries met with a most cor- 
dial reception from the French King, and the 
league was signed at Paris on the 14th of June, 
1404. The persons that acted on the part of 
Charles, were James Bourbon, the Earl of 
March, and John, Bishop of Carnot. Owen's 
Ambassadors signed their parts on the 14th 
of July, in the house of Ferdinand de Corbey, 

* The records of the said treaty and league are yet extant ; 
the titles of them are thus : " Traicts de alliance faits enter 
le Roy C. VI. et de Prince de Guales." " Tenor liberatum 
procurat dicte divine nostri Francorum Regis," &c. 

n2 



148 

Chancellor of France, in the presence of seve- 
ral prelates and persons of rank who attended 
as witnesses." This treaty, as before observed, 
was ratified by Owen at Plas Criig, in January 
following. It is a singular circumstance, and 
but little known, that Owen was acknowledged 
by the French King as a legitimtae sovereign, 
but although necessitated to enter into a truce 
of thirty years with Henry, he could never be 
brought to acknowledge his title to the crown. 
In his treaties, Charles styles him only " notre 
cousin d^Angleterre^'' or " Henry of Lancas- 
ter," or " our adversary of England," or " the 
successor of the late King." In summing up 
the character of his hero, Mr. Thomas says, 
" Glyndower, in person, is said to have been 
tall, vigorous, dignified, and majestic, and per- 
fect master of all the accomplishments of the 
age. In manners, princely and engaging, in 
address, easy, eloquent, and prepossessing ; a 
srreat statesman in the cabinet, and a lion in 
the field. With more moderation, and less 
vindictiveness, he might have added lustre to a 
crown ; but infected with an insuperable ran- 
cour to the English, many acts fall to the pro- 
vince of the historian to record, inconsistent 
with justice or humanity." He might have 



149 



added, "with truth, that the worst of his vices 
were equalled by his contemporary and foe 
Henry IV. as far as his more limited capacity 
admitted. Mr. Thomas further adds, " Though 
traduced by monks, and slandered by contem- 
porary writers, our hero died unsubdued, un- 
fortunate only in the prospect of a second 
subjugation of his country, after all his efforts 
for its emancipation and independency. — The 
struggle, though unsuccessful, merits the ap- 
plause of posterity ; it proved that oppression 
was not to be borne with impunity, nor rapa- 
ciousness pass unredressed." It is worthy of 
remark, as a curious historical coincidence, 
that while Owen Glyndower was possessed of 
Plas Crug, or Llanbadarn castle, Henry of 
Monmouth, the Prince of Wales, (afterwards 
King Henry V.) was master of Aberystwyth 
castle, till dispossessed of it by the former. 
The Biographer of Owen Glyndower says, 
" Two such powerful rivals could not reside 
so near each other as Llanbadarn and Aberyst- 
wyth. At this juncture it was the lot of young 
Henry to make way, and surrender this im- 
portant castle to one, who styled himself also 
Prince of Wales; and claimed, as descendant 
of the princes thereof. Upon its surrender to 
n3 



150 

Gwen, it was garrisoned strongly with ap-* 
proved Welshmen, and retained for about four 
years. The acquisition of this fortress, strong 
by nature and art, eminent once as the Palace 
of Cadwalader,* the last King of the Britons, 
was highly valuable." Wales had always been 
the seat of the muses, a land of harmony ; and 
in common with his countrymen, Glyndower 
possessed a vein of bardism : the following 
extempore effusion is one of the few remains 
of his poetic efforts. Soon after the commit- 
ment to prison of the celebrated David Gam, 
who had attempted his life, Owen visited the 
marches of Wales, destroying all, with fire and 
sword. Gam's house was burnt, and during 
the conflagration, calling to one of David's 
tenants, Owen with all the sangfroid imagin- 
able, spoke to him in verse, thus : 

" O Gweli di wr coch Cam,-\- 

Yn ymof^n y Gyrnig^ven, 
Dywed ei bod hi tan y Ian, 

A nod y glo ar ei phen." 

TRANSLATION. 

'^ See'st thou a red hair'd squinting man 
His lost sheep anxious seeking, 

* After Cadwalader, the Welsh sovereigns were styled 
Princes instead of Kings. 

+ Cam is rendered one-eyed by some, by others maimed. 



151 

Tell him she lies heneath the hill 
With marks of fire reeking." 

Even the first of bards, Shakspeare, has 
contributed largely to the establishment of 
Glyndower's fame, although in compliment to 
his own countrymen, he has sometimes held 
his "art magic" up to ridicule, and made him 
the partial mark of obloquy. King Henry re- 
plies, to one who vaunted of having combated 
with Glyndower, 



I'll not believe it! 

alone. 



As Owen of Glyndower for an enemy." 

He makes Owen say of himself, 

" At my birth 



The front of Heaven was full of fiery shapes ; 
The Goats ran from the mountains, and the herds 
Were strangely clamorous in the frighted fields : 
These signs have marked me extraordinary, 
And all the courses of my life do shew, 
I am not in the roll of common men." 
» * * * 

" Where is he, living, dipt in with the sea 

That chides the banks of England, Wales, or Scotland, 

Who calls me pupil, or has read to me? 

And bring him out, that is but woman's son. 

Can trace me in the tedious ways of art. 

Or hold me pace in deep experiments ; 

I can call spirits from the vasty deep." 

Before the battle of Shrewsbury, he is re- 



152 

presented, ostentatiously vain of his successes 
and Henry's defeats, boasting by affirming 

*' Three times hath Henry Bolingbroke made head 
Against my power ; thrice from the banks of Wye, 
And sandy-bottom'd Severn, have I sent 
Him bootless home, and weather-beaten back." 

The news of Owen's victory at Brynglas (a 
mountain in Radnorshire,) is thus related to 
the English king. 



When all athwart there came 



A post from Wales, loaden with heavy news, 
Whose worst was, that the noble Mortimer, 
Leading the men of Herefordshire to fight 
Against the irregular and wild Glyndow'r, 
Was by the rude hands of that Welshman taken." 

The fame of Glyn dower still continues a 
high source of pride to his countrymen, and 
a favourite subject of the Welsh muse ; as one 
of the latest proofs of which, we subjoin the 
following ballad. 

OWEN GLYNDOWER. 

Owen Glyndow'r is the Cambrian's load-star, 

Owen Glyndow'r is the mighty in war, — 

At his beck, as inspired, in hundreds rush forth 

The Chiefs and their hosts from the south and the north, 

While maidens and matrons their heart's pray'rs pour, 

For bliss on the hero — brave Owen Glyndow'r. 

Northumberland's Percy is rich in a name. 
While Bolingbroke's suddenly stolen on fame ; 



J 53 

And Harry of Monmouth his more gallant son, 
Shall live in far days for feats yet to be won ; — 
But Glory owns not in her costliest store, 
A name like the Dragon's, high Owen Glyndow'r. 

Not Douglas the valiant, that high-hearted Scot, 
The whirlwind of battle, the ligbt'ning brand hot, — 
Not Hotspur the lion — the Mortimer wolf — 
Both brave as the Roman who leap'd ruin's gulph 
On the steed that the hero to Glory's arms bore, 
Can shine like the dragon — dread Owen Glyndow'r, 

And Owen hath risen to war for his own ; 
He fights for a diadem, nation, and throne ; 
Invested with splendour of majesty bright. 
He moves in the beams of a people's delight : 
No vain idle tournament calls forth his pow'r, 
But mighty's the aim of great Owen Glyndow'r. 

The sons of the Cymry have sorrow'd and wept. 
And the slumber of ages their Dragon hath slept. 
While the Norman and Sais have wielded the brand, 
Usurpingly vaunted them lords of the land; 
But the Dragon hath risen — terrific his roar. 
As awful the name of dread Owen Glyndow'r. 

The following ballad is written in a Ijric 
measure peculiar to Welsh Poetry, the novelty 
of which is not immediately discernible to the 
English reader ; but which, to render more 
conspicuous, is printed in italics : it will be 
observed, that generally the fourth syllable in 
every second line rhymes with the end of the 
first line, throughout the stanza. 



154 

THE DEATH OF GLYNDOWER. 

The Sun of great Plantagenet,* 

In storms had set, and ruin, 
When proud usurping BolingbroJce 

Sad Britain's yoke renewing ; 
Which Cymry's son the brave Glyndotver, 

With frowns of power viewing ; — 

From the fealty oath unbound. 

And Henry crown'd, all firing, 
High hearted Owen claim'd aloud 

His soul's avowed desiring, 
Old Cymry's crown, his right of birth 

And valiant worth aspiring. 

Forth rush'd the chief of sky-crown'd lands, 

Vvlth battling bands of thunder, 
Wild as the falling cat'ract's roar, 

That mountains tore asunder 5 
His bearing was so princely bright. 

Men mark'd his might with wonder. 

Let not the sons of Saxons plume, 

Nor dare presume to boast it; 
That Owen fought for high renown 

And Britain's crown, and lost it ; 
The first he gain'd, his race the lasti 

Though fortune's blast long cross'd it. 

He greatly dared, he greatly did, 

Till fate chid Owen's daring. 
E'er great in life, and great in death. 

Not while he'd breath despairing. 
But like an Eagle shot \x\ flight 

While, main and might uprearing. 

* King Richard the Second. 

+ Alluding to the dynasty of the Tudors, of which race 
was Owen Glyndower. 



155 



It is hoped the above digression, which is 
not entirely irrelevant, will be pardoned on 
the score of national partiality towards the 
brave and unfortunate chieftain of the Cymry. 
To return to Plas Crug — it would be unjust 
to close this article, without emphatically im- 
pressing the undeniable fact, that it is beauti- 
fully situate, for prospect and convenience, 
on ground, that in the possession of a man of 
taste might be built on, and rendered the most 
admirable, the most enviable spot in the vici- 
nity of Aberystwyth. 

About eight miles from Aberystwyth, (Ma- 
chynlleth road,) on a mountain called Pen 
Sarn Ddu, between the rivers Ceulan and Clet- 
twr, stands the remarkable structure called 
Gwely Taliesin, or Taliesin's bed, said to be 
the sepulchre of that celebrated bard. Its ap- 
pearance is very striking. A large heap of 
earth has been raised, and surrounded by two 
circles of stones, the innermost of which is 
twenty-seven feet in diameter, and the outer 
one about thirty-one feet. In tlie centre of 
this is the Gwely, which is composed of six 



156 

stones, five placed so as make an oblong chest, 
and another for its cover. The covering stone 
has been taken off, and thrown on one side, 
and measures upwards of six feet in length, and 
three feet six inches in width. The chest itself 
is three feet deep, six feet long, and two feet 
three inches broad. The popular superstition 
respecting this is, that should any one sleep 
in the bed for one night, he would the next 
day become either a poet or an idiot. Mey- 
rick denies this to be Taliesin's grave, but the 
arguments he adduces to prove the contrary 
are far from conclusive. He says, "In this 
chest, many years ago, was found a human 
skull ; therefore, whether it was a cromlech, 
and the skull that of a victim sacrificed, or the 
sepulchral tumulus of an Arch Druid, and this 
the remains of his reverend head, is a subject of 
conjecture. That it was not the grave of Ta- 
liesin, we may collect from the following con- 
siderations. He flourished when Christianity 
had taken deep root in Wales, and his works 
throughout evince his sincere belief in the 
christian doctrines. It was the custom after 
the introduction of Christianity into Britain, 
to make frequent use of the cross, and this 
emblem was always carved on the sepulchral 



157 



monuments of devout persons of that period, 
as we have many examples even in this coun- 
try. As Taliesin, therefore, was celebrated 
as a pious christian, as well as an excellent 
poet, such a monument would undoubtedly be 
erected to him, and probably was, in North 
Wales, where he spent the latter part of his 
life." Such are Mr. Meyrick's objections, 
which amount to this — that it cannot be Ta- 
liesin's grave on account of the omission of the 
cross on the monument, and the probability 
of his burial in North Wales. Now, as the 
whole of those obstructions are, avowedly, 
mere conjecture, may we not combat them 
with the same weapon, and fairly suppose 
that the impression of a cross, on rough un- 
hewed stone, under presumed disadvantages 
of situation, might, in the course of thirteen 
hundred years, be totally obliterated ? parti- 
cularly when continually subjected to the in- 
durating influence of the wind and rain. The 
very meagre existing account of the bard's 
life, exposes the latter part of it entirely to 
conjecture ; and there is nothing to warrant 
the supposition that he did not, before his 
death, quit North Wales, die in his own coun- 
o 



158 

try, and inhabit this very sepulchre, so long 
assigned to him by universal tradition. It 
may be observed too, that the poems of Ta- 
liesin are no less remarkable for their christian 
tendency, than the intermixture of that faith 
with the ancient British religion ; so much so, 
as to contain the whole system of druidism.* 

The following, (being one of a series of 
Bardic Portraits,) inserted from the Cambro- 
Briton, affords a clear view of this celebrated 
Poet of the ancient Cymry. " Among the mo- 
dern nations of Europe few, if any, can boast 
of poetical remains of equal antiquity with 
those claimed by the Welsh. And of these the 
Works of Taliesin may be regarded in every 
point of view as the most remarkable. Their 
many references, both to historical events, and 
to the mystical doctrines of the Druids, place 
them in a pre-eminent rank as memorials of 
the early age in which their author flourished, 
— while the poetical excellence of most, how- 
ever obscured by the lapse of time, proves 
the justice of his claim to the honourable ap-i 

* Vide " Hanes Taliesin," in the notes to the Land be- 
neath the Sea, in Prichard's Welsh Minstrelsy. 



159 

pellation, given him in the Triads, of ' Chief 
of the Bards*.' There are seventy-eight poems 
preserved under his name in the Archaiology 
of Wales : and besides those, above noticed, of 
an historical and mystical character, they com- 
prise others, which may be described generally 
as theological, encomiastic, elegiac, and ly- 
rical. Many of these remains may be proved 
to be genuine by the reference, which the bard 
makes in them to himself as the author ;t and 
others by their allusions to occurrences, which 
are known from other sources to have hap- 
pened in his time, as well as from the concur- 
rent suffrage of later bards as to the fact. 

'^According to these records, and also to 
the testimony of some ancient MSS. the life of 
Taliesin occupied about fifty years, during 
the middle of the sixth century. The first 
incident, which we learn of it, is similar to that 
recorded of the infant Moses. For Taliesin is 
reported to have been found, exposed in a 
coracle, in a fishing wear, on the coast of 

* The Triad, here alluded to, describes him also as one of 
the three chief bards of the Isle of Britain with Merddin Em- 
rys and Merddin, son of Morfryn, who was a pupil to Tali- 
esin. — Arch, of Wales, vol. ii. p. 75. 

+ See Arch, of Wales, vol, i, p. 21 5 25,50, &c. 

o 2 



160 



Cardigan, belonging to Elflin, son of Gwyddner 
Garanhir, king of Gwent. He was received, 
from that moment, under the protection of El- 
ifin, who must have continued his patronage 
for some years, as we find, that he introduced 
him afterwards to his father's court, upon 
which occasion the young bard (for he is pre- 
sumed to have been then a mere boy) presented 
to Gwyddno his mystical poem, entitled Tali- 
esin's History (Hanes Taliesin^), and to his 
patron that called the Consolation of Elffin 
(Di/huddiant ElJiniJ, both of them still ex- 
tant. The latter effusion, which is delicately 
written in the character of an exposed orphan, 
was designed to console Elffin on the recent 
failure of his fishery, a circumstance attributed, 
it seems, both by himself and others, to the 
extravagance and dissipation of his past life. 
Taliesin endeavours, with great ingenuity, tg 
remove liis melancholy on this occasion, and^ 
from the beautiful moral feeling displayed in 
the poem, we may conclude that this effort 
was not made in vain. 

" We find the bard's gratitude towards his 
patron evinced by another effusion, entitled 

* Arcb. of Wales, vol. i. p. 19. + lb. p. 83. 



161 



the Mead-song (Canu y Medd^)^ written du- 
ring Elffin's imprisonment in the castle of De- 
ganwy, where he was confined by his uncle 
Maelgwn, sovereign of North Wales, with 
whom Taliesin was afterwards in particular 
favour. And we learn from his poem on the 
Sons of Llyr (Kerdd am Veib Llj/ri)^ as well 
as from some old Welsh historians, that he 
succeeded, by the magic of his song, in re- 
deeming Elffin from his captivity. 

" How soon his connection with Eiffin 
ceased does not appear ; — ^but in the raaturer 
part of his life we find him to have been the 
bard of Urien Reged, a Cumbrian chieftain, 
who is also celebrated in the poems of Llyw- 
arch Hen. Urien, as we are informed by the 
Genealogy of the Saints (Bonedd y Saint) ^ 
came to settle in South Wales, where for some 
time he distinguished himself by his military 
services, but was, towards the close of his life, 
numbered amongst the saints of Bangor Catwg, 
in Glamorgan.^ Taliesin has addressed seve- 

* Arch, of Wales, vol. i. p. 22. 

+ lb. p. 67. See also p. 34, where another allusion is 
made to this event. " Docldwyf Degankwy,'''' &c. 

X See the " Cambrian Biography." 

o 3 



163 

ral poems to him, in one of which* he describes 
himself as residing at that period near the lake 
Ceirionydd, in Caernarvonshire : 

And I also Taliesin 

Of the banks of the lake Ceirionydd. 

" Of the education of this ' chief of bards,' 
all, known with any certainty, is that it was 
completed under the celebrated Catwg, sur- 
named the Wise, at Llanfeithin, in Glamorgan. 
He was the first abbot of Llancarvan, and is 
distinguished by his excellent collection of an- 
cient Welsh maxims, which are published in 
the Archaiology.f Taliesin, as a bard was ne- 
cessarily initiated in the Druidical mysteries, 
and to which some of his writings, as before 
noticed, prove him to have been strongly 
attached. He had a son Afaon, who is repre- 
sented as having renounced the peaceful pur- 
suits of bardism for the turbulent occupation of 
a warrior, in which capacity he fought under 
Cadwallon, Prince of North Wales. For this 
reason he is described, in an ancient Triad, 
with two others, likewise of bardic parentage, 
as one of the ' three chief-like bulls' of the 

* Anrec XJrien. Arch, of Wales, vol. i. p. 50. 
+ Vol. iii. p. 1 to 99. 



163 

Isle of Britain. Taliesin is supposed to have 
died about the year 570.* 

" The variety of the verse, as well as of the 
topics, embraced by Taliesin's muse, makes 
it difficult to ascribe to it any general charac- 
ter. He not only employed most of the metres 
then in use, but even enriched his poetry with 
others borrowed from the Greek and Roman 
writers, before that time unknown to the lan- 
guage, — ^but since familiarly used by the bards 
as far as they could be adapted to the genius 
of the Welsh tongue, and the peculiar charac- 
ter of its poetry. 

" That Taliesin had profited by the able in- 
struction of Catwg is clear from several parts 
of his writings, where the allusions, he makes, 
prove the great extent of his learning for the 
age in which he lived. But what he seems to 

* I am not ignorant, that an attempt has been made, by 
the very intelligent author of the " Celtic Researches," and 
of the " Mythology and Rites of the Druids," to throw an air 
of fable over this account of Taliesin. But, if this note 
should meet the eye of that gentleman, he will pardon me, I 
hope, for observing, that there appears, in the instance above 
noticed at least, too laboured an effort to subject to a favour- 
ite hypothesis all ancient facts and authorities, — too manifest 
an anxiety to drag history captive at the triumphal car of 
mythology. — Editor of the Cambro-Briton. 



I 



164 

have studied with superior avidity and success 
was, as already intimated, the mystical lore of 
the Druids, with which many of his produc- 
tions are so deeply impregnated as to become 
extremely obscure, if not, for the most part, 
unintelligible. The doctrine of metempsy- 
chosis, in particular, appears to have been a 
favourite theme. Two or three of his poems 
are expressly devoted to it, and afford a sin- 
gular instance of the effect of that wild notion 
upon a powerful and creative imagination. As 
a repository of the maxims of Druidism, how- 
ever, and also as a record of historical facts, 
the productions of Taliesin must be admitted 
to possess an important value. His elegiac 
and lyrical poems abound in pathetic touches, 
as well as in sublime fancy and fine moral 
thought. And we can hardly accuse him of 
an unjustifiable degree of vanity, when we 
hear him designate himself as being at once a 
poet and a man of erudition,* or even when 
he claims, for the property of his muse, the 
flowing speech of a prophet.i" 

* " Wyf llogell cerdd, wyf lleenydd." Buarth Beirdd, 
Arch, of Wales, vol. i. p. 27. Many other similar instances 
occur in his poems. 

+ Mydwyf Taliesin. Areith lif Dewin. — Canu y Byd 
Mawr. lb. p. 25. 



165 
Utmain^ of ^ntiquitg 

Discovered at different periods near Aberystwyth, 
From Meyrick''s ^^Antiquities of Cardiganshire,'^ 

About the year 1759, some labourers belong^- 
ing to the Gogerddan estate, digging turf in 
Gorsfochno, turned up a tanned leathern quar- 
ter boot. It was quite perfect, and made to 
lace up in front. It was pointed at the toe, 
gradually diminishing; the sole and upper 
leather so united as to appear all one piece of 
leather. It was of an enormous length, and 
after quitting that distance to which the toe 
would reach, curved upwards towards the mid- 
dle of the leg, nearly the length of two feet. 
Mr. Morgan, agent for the Gogerddan estate, 
presented it to John Pugh Price, Esq. who car- 
ried it out of the county. This was, undoubt- 
edly, a great curiosity, and was certainly worn 
some time between the twelfth and fifteenth 
centuries ; but towards establishing the exact 
period, it will be necessary to take a view of 
the different forms of boots and shoes within 
those periods. " High shoes, reaching nearly 
to the middle of the legs, and fastened by 
lacing in front, and which may also, properly 



166 

enough, be considered as a species of half 
boots, were in use in this country as early as 
the tenth century ; and the only apparent dif- 
ference between the high shoes of the an- 
cients and moderns seems to have been, that 
the former laced close down to the toes, and 
the latter to the instep only."* Among the 
various innovations made in dress by the Nor- 
mans during the twelfth century, none met 
with more marked or more deserved disappro- 
bation, than that of lengthening the toes of 
the shoes, and bringing them forward to a 
sharp point. This custom, according to Wil- 
liam of Malmsbury, first took place in the 
reign of William Rufns ; and as the Welsh 
copied tlie Norman dress, it no doubt soon 
after found its way into the country. Accord- 
ing to Orderic Vitalis, the practice was intro- 
duced by a man who had distorted feet, in 
order to conceal the deformity : but, he adds, 
the fashion was no sooner made known, than 
all those who were fond of novelty, thought 
proper to follow it; and the shoes were made 
by the shoemakers in the form of a scorpion's 
tail. These shoes were called Pigacice^ and 
adopted by persons of every class, both rich 

'* Vide Strutt's Habits of the Anglo Saxons, p. 48. 



167 



and poor. Soon after, a courtier, whose name 
was Robert, improved upon the first idea bj 
filling the vacant part of the shoe with tow, 
and twisting it round in the form of a ram's 
horn ; this silly fashion drew forth much ap- 
plause. It was followed by the greater part 
of the nobility ; and the author, for this happy 
invention, was honoured with the cognomen of 
Cornadus or horned. The long pointed shoes 
were vehemently inveighed against by the 
clergy ; and Anselm, the Archbishop of Can- 
terbury, was one of the principal opponents 
to them. The picked pointed boots were 
called Ocrece rostratcB ; these and the shoes 
were sometimes terminated with the repre- 
sentation of a bird's bill, or some such or- 
nament, which was turned upwards, and was 
often sustained by gold or silver chains fas- 
tened to the knee. The ecclesiastics said this 
was an attempt to belie the scriptures, where it 
is affirmed, that no man can add a cubit to his 
stature. So far as we can judge from the illu- 
minations of the twelfth century, the fashion 
did not long maintain its ground. It was, 
however, afterwards revived, and even carried 
to a more preposterous extent ; but in the reign 



168 

of Queen Mary, we are told by Bulver,* the 
people in general laid aside the long points, 
and had their shoes made square toed, which 
they carried to such absurdity, that a procla- 
mation was issued that no man should wear his 
shoes above six inches square at the toes. In 
the Sumptuary laws established in the third 
year of Edward IV. there is a clause forbid- 
ding any shoemaker to make the toes of the 
shoes and boots to exceed the length of two 
inches. In all the paintings from the twelfth 
to the fifteenth century, we find that, except in 
the reign of William Rufus, the length of the 
shoes was sufiered to trail on the ground. 
Now the curve, I think, is so great a peculi- 
arity, that we may safely ascribe the boot in 
question to the twelfth century, and as the 
Normans did not wear them in battle, it must 
have belonged to some Welsh gentleman. Gi- 
raldus, indeed, who lived in the end of the 
twelfth century, tells us, that the Welsh used in 
his time high shoes, made of untanned leather. 

At a farm, in the parish of Llanfihangel 
Geneu'r-glyn, called Llwyn Glas, belonging 

* See his Pedigree of the English Gallant, p. 548. 






169 



to Mr. John Hughes, is preserved one of those 
singular pieces of antiquity called Cyllyll hir- 
ion, or long knives, used in the year 473, by 
the Saxons at the celebrated massacre of the 
British chiefs, which gained the former a per- 
manent footing in Britain, utterly unattainable 
before, or by other means than the most per- 
fidious that ever disgraced the records of hu- 
manity. This knife is fourteen inches and a 
half in length, from the tip of the handle to 
the point of the blade. The handle is horn, 
ornamented with brass, and of a peculiar con- 
struction, being excavated at top, as a resting- 
place and support for the thumb, which is 
placed over it, when held in the hand like a 
dagger, for the greater force of the plunge. 
The blade is ornamented with gold, inlaid. 
As this knife was used by the Saxons in the 
time of the British King.Gwrtheyrn, or Vorti- 
gern, a name the most black and detestable in 
the annals of his country, it will be necessary 
to narrate this part of history which details 
the massacre above alluded to, called the Plot 
of the long Knives. 

When the Romans, reduced to extremities 
at home, forsook the sovereignty of Britain, 



170 

they at last informed the Britons thej must no 
longer look to them for succour against the 
barbarous Picts and Scots, but exhorted them, 
as they hoped to remain independent, to arm in 
their own defence. In the reign of the Roman 
Emperor Theodosius, and in the year of Lord 
446 or 448, Gratian and Constantine, two Ro- 
mans, who had a short time before assumed the 
purple in Britain, took with them to the Con- 
tinent the flower of the British youth, alas I 
never to return. Thus were the Britons de- 
prived of the means of putting in practice the 
advice of their late masters, and considered 
their present of liberty as fatal to them. The 
Picts* and Scots finding that the Romans had 
finally relinquished Britain, now regarded the 
whole as their prey, and entering South Britain, 
committed the greatest devastation. Although 
the Britons had been positively assured that 
the Romans could no longer assist them, yet, 
in this dreadful state of affairs, they applied 
again for succour. ^(Etius, the Patrician, then 
sustained tottering Rome by his valour and 
magnanimity. The British ambassadors car- 

* " The Picts," says Hume, " seem to have been a tribe 
of the ancient British race, who having been chased into the 
northern parts by the conquests of Agricola, had there inter- 
mingled with the ancient inhabitants." 



171 



ried to him the letter of their countrymen, 
which was thus inscribed, " The groans of 
the Britons;" in which they said, "the Bar- 
barians, on the one hand, chase us into the sea, 
the sea, on the other, throws us back on the 
barbarians, and we have only the hard choice 
left us, of perishing by the sword or by the 
waves." But the powerful arms of Attila left 
the Romans no leisure to attend to the com- 
plaints of the Britons, who thus rejected, 
quitted their habitations, and abandoning the 
culture of the ground, fled for protection to 
their mountains. The barbarians also began 
to feel the pressure of famine, and being har- 
rassed by parties of the dispersed Britons, 
who hastily returning to their fastnesses, thus 
evaded their enemies, abandoning South Bri- 
tain, returned again with their spoils to their 
own country. The Britons, however, becom- 
ing reanimated by the valour of succeding 
princes, recovered their native spirit; and 
rising again into freedom and importance, 
asserted for many ages the rights of injured 
humanity. 

Cy stennyn, or Constantine, (son of Cynvor,) 
surnamed the blessed, King of Britain, was in 
p2 



172 

the year 448 murdered by the treachery of a 
Pict, while he was engaged in the pleasures of 
the chase. His son Constans, though a monk^ 
was raised to the throne, through the machina- 
tions of Gwrtheyrn, or Yortigern, his cousin, in 
hopes of directing the government of a prince, 
who having been bred in the recesses of a 
cloister, was of course uninstructed in the ma- 
nagement of public affairs, and in the laws of 
his kingdom. As soon, therefore, as Vortigern 
had undertaken the reio-ns of government for 
Constans, fired with ambition, and disdaining 
to act a secondary part, he resolved on the 
death of his sovereign. The king's guards 
placed in the palace, and bribed by Vortigern, 
entered the chamber of Constans, and cutting 
off his head, carried it bleeding to the regent. 
Although elated in the highest degree, the 
politic Vortigern dissembled his joy, and 
feigning sorrow, commanded the heads of the 
assasins to be struck off. This had its effect ; 
he immediately acquired the royal dignity, 
and ascended the throne about A. D. 448. But 
his power was not quite secure ; and Emrys 
Wledig, or Ambrosius, existed to intimidate 
and punish him. South Britain was now again 
threatened by an invasion of the Picts and 



I 



173 

Scots ; and as Vortigern lived in the southern 
part of England, he proposed to his subjects 
in council, to send for their neighbours the 
Saxons in Germany, to assist them in repelling 
these barbarians. Unfortunately for Britain 
his advice was adopted, and overtures made 
to that effect. But his object in obtaining the 
aid of the Saxons, was to secure to himself the 
government, which conscience told him was 
an usurpation. A body of Saxons under Hen- 
gist and Horsa, landed on the Isle of Thanet. 
This place was given to them ; and a promise 
to supply them with food and necessaries, 
provided they repelled the enemies of Britain. 
To this the Saxons urged the necessity of 
procuring more of their countrymen, to be 
competent fully to chastise the Picts and Scots. 
This was agreed to, and Hengist destroyed 
the Scots as far as Caer Wair, in the north, 
and probably in Durham; for which he ob- 
tained the triumphant acclamations of the 
Britons. Horsa had a daughter, the beautiful 
blue-eyed Rowena, whom the Welsh called 
Alls Rhonwen. Her charms enslaved the Bri- 
tish monarch, and she became his bride. By 
her he had a son called Gotta, on whom he 
settled an unjust possession of the crown, by 



174 

which means the Cymry lost the sovereignty 
in Britain. The Saxon power augmented in 
England ; and their frequent demands of fresh 
territory were complied with, through the in- 
fluence of Yortigern. But these arrogant en- 
croachments at last roused to a certain degree, 
the wisdom and public spirit of the Britons, 
which, for a time, gave a fortunate turn to 
their affairs. In the year 464, Vortigern was 
deposed by an assembly of the British States ; 
and the crown given to Gwrtlievyr, or Vor- 
timer. His vigorous measures induced the 
Saxons to apply to the Scots and Picts to join 
them; but he, wishing to prevent a junction 
of these armies, attacked and defeated the 
Saxons, at Ailsford, in Kent. In this battle 
fell Horsa, the Saxon chief, and Catigern, the 
younger brother of Vortimer, the British king,, 
each by the other's sword. The Saxons were 
forced to retreat to the Isle of Thanet: and 
giving up all hopes of success on land, deter- 
mined to try their skill at sea. The Britons 
had also beaten the Saxons in the north, as 
well as the Scots and Picts. In the naval en- 
gagement with Hengist, victory again crowned 
the British arms, and the Saxons were obliged 
to quit this island for their native shores. 



175 

Vortigern^ the deposed king, had been all this 
time confined in the city of Chester ; but, with 
the greatest policy, appearing to give Vorti- 
mer the best advice towards protecting his 
kingdom, and paying him every respect, pro- 
cured the esteem of a part in his favour. 
Rowena did not allow this opportunity to 
pass by unnoticed ; and secretly meditated 
the murder of the protector of Wales. For 
this purpose she procured, by the promise of 
large rewards, a young man to execute her 
horrid plot; who, disguised as a gardener, 
presented the king with a poisoned nosegay. 
In his dying moments, Vortimer exhorted the 
British nobility to a manly defence of their 
country ; and desired that, after his decease, 
his sepulchre should be erected on the sea 
shore, where the Saxons usually landed, ima- 
gining that tliis would stimulate them to repel 
those invaders ; but the nobles, negligent of 
liis commands, interred him in London. Vor- 
ligern reascended the throne ; and Rowena, his 
crafty queen, sent notice to Hengist of the late 
events. Overjoyed at the news, he appeared 
off' the British coast with 4000 Saxons under 
his command ; but as the Britons were pre- 
pared to resist them, it was necessary to resort 



176 

to stratagem. He intimated that it was not 
his intention to offer violence to the people, 
but merely to assist Vortigern against his son 
Vortimer, whom he pretended to suppose was 
still alive, and proposed a conference. It was 
now in the month of May, and Caer Caradoc, 
on Salisbury Plain, was fixed on for that pur- 
pose. It was mutually stipulated, that weapons 
were not be worn or brought to the theatre of 
conference; but the perfidious Saxon coun- 
selled his friends to conceal their long knives 
in their garments, and at his signal each should 
kill the Briton next to him. The conference 
commenced, and the festivity had began, when, 
at the terrible exclamation of "Nemed eure 
Saxes !" long knives were drawn from beneath 
the Saxons' sleeves ; the unarmed Britons fell 
before the execrable assassins, and SOO of 
the bravest chiefs of the country are said to 
have perished. Vortigern was spared, but 
made a prisoner by Hengist, who granted him 
liberty on being put in possession of Essex, 
Sussex, and Middlesex. Covered with con- 
fusion and reproach, Vortigern withdrew into 
North Wales, where he was afterwards be- 
seiged in his castle, on the river Wye in 
Arwystli, by Emrys Wledig, who setting fire 



177 

to it beheld his country's traitor perish in the 
flames. In the plot of the long knives above 
described, it is said none of the British Princes 
escaped, except Eidiol, Earl of Gloucester; 
who escaped by means of a pole which he 
found under his feet, and with which he slew 
seventy Saxons. It was by the command of 
Emrys Wledig (who succeed to the sove- 
reignty in the year 481,) that the structure 
called by the English Stonehenge, was erected 
by his architect Merddyn Emrys, on the site of 
a former conventional circle ; and which the 
Welsh have ever since called Gwaith Emrys, 
or the Work of Ambrosius. It was designed 
as a memorial of the Plot of the long Knives. 
The Saxons, with affected contempt, merely 
called this wonder of our isle ''Stane hangen," 
or hanging stones, since corrupted into Stone- 
henge. 

The atrocious and detestable conduct of 
Hengist, must have been condemned in the 
hearts of his successors ; and they would, no 
doubt, endeavour to plunge this horrid deed 
into everlasting oblivion. Thus, the Saxon 
writers give no account of this circumstance, 



178 

though it is well attested by several Welsh 
historians. Of all crimes, those perpetrated 
in abuse of generous confidence are most to 
be abhorred ; they break the noblest bonds of 
society, and tend to deliver up mankind to 
the government of suspicion, one of the most 
malignant fiends which human misery can fos- 
ter. So much in illustration of the history of 
the "Long Knife" preserved by the late Mr. 
Hughes, at Llwyn Glas farm. One of these 
knives, but of a more magnificent kind, and 
belonging to a Saxon nobleman, was seen, and 
is described, by the author of " Drych y Priv 
Oesoedd." He says, "the blade was about 
seven inches long, and more than half an 
inch broad. Five of the seven inches were 
two-edged. The hilt was of ivory curiously 
wrought, having the image of a naked woman, 
with a globe in her left hand, and her right 
hand resting on her hip. There was a young 
man carved on her right side, with a glory 
round his head. The sheath was also of ivory, 
curiously wrought." 

In the same parish are various remains of 
Druidical structures. Coins, shields, and bat- 



179 

tie-axes, of singular workmanship and great 
antiquity, have also been discovered at differ- 
ent periods, in the neighbourhood of Aber- 
ystwyth. 

mtontlntsing Utmatix^* 

WELSH TROWSERS. 

A singular novelty attracted the attention of 
the fashionables at Aberystwyth last season, in 
the person of a gentleman of fortune, who ap- 
peared daily on the Marine Terrace, dressed 
in a pair of Cossack-cut trowsers of Welsh 
manufacture, the colour dark blue, with small 
red stripes ; being the very identical material 
of which the females of the counties of Meri- 
oneth, Cardigan, and other parts of Wales, 
from time immemorial have made their gowns 
and petticoats. The effect, however, was really 
pleasing; and the ladies, delighted with the 
novelty, as well as handsome appearance, voted 
the Welsh Trowsers a most becoming garment. 
The consequence of the approval of the fair 
may be easily anticipated ; in a few days the 
the tailors were literally oppressed with orders 
— Kerseymeres and Broad-cloths, as well as 
Nankeen and Duck, (notwithstanding the 



180 

season) were thrown aside, supplanted by the 
homely stripe of old Cymru; and before a 
week had rolled away since its original appear- 
ance, scarce a gentleman was seen promenad- 
ing the terrace, but who had attired himself 
in Welsh Trow^sers. The rage of fashion may 
generally be assimilated to the contagious na- 
ture of the plague, the wild-fire of vanity, with 
electric avidity, impetiously rushing through 
the votaries of the one, as the distemper per- 
vades the victims of the other. But here the 
new zest of the fashionable was divested of 
the usual pernicious attendants of a reigning 
foible, namely, extravagance of price, outre 
absurdity, or anti-nationality in adopting the 
taste and produce of the foreigner. But the 
Welsh Trowsers, though owing their present 
adoption to the caprice of fashion, bids fair to 
become a standing article of clothing, in this 
principality at least, on the laudable principle 
of patriotism, as well as the more humble virtue 
of economy. On the celebration of the last St. 
David's Day at Aberystwyth, many of the 
members of the Cymreigyddion Society ap- 
peared in Welsh Trowsers, and a great desire 
was manifested to bring them into general 
wear, with a view of benefiting our own trade; 



181 



certainly a most efficient mode, and however 
the eternal praters and lofty declaimers on vi- 
sionary theories may despise this humble local 
sort of patriotism, we dare assert, it may be 
productive of more solid good to our country, 
than all their frothy speeches and impracti- 
cable plans combined, can possible realize. 
Even were patriotism out of the question, (a 
separation however, we would warmly protest 
against,) the man of taste may be told, the 
dress is handsome and becoming, and can be 
had in a variety of patterns; and we will tell 
the economist he m^ay purchase three pairs at 
the price of one of English cloth, to which it 
has been discovered to be preferable, to ri- 
ders especially, for several additional reasons. 
Although the energy of the Cymry is highly 
conspicuous in the preservation of their lan- 
guage as well as a great portion of their national 
characteristics, in spite of the severe obstruc- 
tions of time, and circumstances inauspicious 
to the cause of freedom, yet the ancient cos- 
tume of the Britons after their removal from 
barbarism, seems to have been considered of 
minor importance, and remained unrecorded, 
while the Highlanders of Scotland, to this hour, 
retain their ancient garb. During the Roman 
a 



183 

sovereignty in this island, it is supposed the 
Britons partially conformed to the Roman 
mode, and as that great people were rather 
admired than held in the like abhorrence of 
other invaders, and left this country regretted 
by those whom they conquered, it is not im- 
probable that the Roman garb long continued 
to be worn. Our celebrated amatory poet, 
David ab Gwelym, who flourished in the early 
part of the fourteenth century, is described in 
what was, doubtless, the general costume of 
Wales at that period, viz. a cloak, a vest, and 
trowscrs, of the manufacture of this country ; 
and who knows but the latter article was in 
texture, colour, and fashion, the counterpart 
of these of the present day? And that the 
Welsh Trowsers now introduced into wear by 
the caprice of tlie fashionable visitants of a 
watering-place, may be but a resumption of 
a part of our ancient dress laid aside for the 
period of four centuries ? Be that as it may, in 
these times of retrenchment and necessitated 
economy, independent of the several other 
lights in which we have viewed the subject, 
their introduction into general wear would 
prove highly beneficial to the country : and 
we may boldly ask, since the Scotch plaid forms 



183 

a part of the army clothing, why the Welsh 
stripe may not be used for a similar purpose ? 
It is equally warm, durable, and handsome in 
appearance, and being less glaring, infinitely 
neater to the eye of taste. Surely none can con- 
ceive the zeal misplaced, that would warmly 
recommend to those spirited and patriotic gen- 
tlemen of our country, who have its welfare 
most at heart, to introduce the Welsh Trowsers 
as a part of the clothing of the militia of the 
principality ; and it is earnestly hoped this 
suggestion of an obscure, but disinterested 
individual, may find approvers and friends in 
the liberal and enlightened members of our 
various literary Cambrian Societies. 

A THEATRE AT ABERYSTWYTH. 

Although the inhabitants of Aberystwyth 
well deserve to be congratulated on the va- 
rious improvements recently perfected, as well 
as those in contemplation, it still remains a 
subject of regret that they have yet no Theatre ; 
nor is it at all creditable to a town of such 
fashionable resort, that the most rational and 
highly intellectual of entertainments has been 
assigned no station there. We have been in- 
formed that Mrs. Coutts, with that princely 
Q 2 



184 

spirit of liberality, for which she is so emi- 
nently and deservedly distinguished, has of- 
fered a handsome sum towards the building 
of a Theatre ; and although years have since 
elapsed, no advantage has been taken of so un- 
precedented a tender. It is to be hoped such 
neglect will not long continue a subject of 
complaint, but that the Drama, the child of 
Intellect and handmaid of Improvement, the 
the censor of morals and polisher of manners, 
may soon have her field of action unimpeded, 
and be rescued from the degrading obstruction 
of " lowly bepims and rude rafters," beneath 
which she has hitherto meanly figured, to the 
great endangerment of her lofty and illustrious 
brow. 

One of the wisest men, the greatest of mo- 
ralists, and best of christians, that this country 
has ever produced — the celebrated Doctor 
Johnson — in enumerating the purposes of the 
Drama, describes them with great felicity in 
the following nervous line : 

" To raise Ihe genius, and amend the heart." 

Perhaps it may be advanced in defence of those 
who have thus long delayed the production of 



185 



a theatre here, for such a purpose^ that they 
meant to compliment the visitors and them- 
selves, by inferring their hearts were already 
so good, as to stand in no need of mending. 

EXTORTION IN LODGING-HOUSES, 

" These exactions, are 

Most pestilent to the hearing." — Shakspeare. 

A bitter and justly severe chapter might be 
written under this head, but certainly not in 
reference to Aberystwyth, to any great extent ; 
althouo;h it is not to be denied that some in- 
dividuals have injured the growing prosperity 
and reputation of the town by this most hate- 
ful and ruinous system. For ruinous it is, in 
every sense, both to the good name of the 
public in this part of the world, and will ul- 
timately prove so to the rapacious and selfish 
wretches, who disgrace their country and them- 
selves. Would examples avail as warnings 
of celebrated marine bathing-towns that have 
out-lived their day of attraction, and sunk 
into comparative insignificance, they are to 
be found, contiguously situate, and empha- 
tically destitute of the admiring strangers, 
that once gave consequence and fashion to 
those favoured spots ; and the greedy beings 
Q 3 



186 



who brouffht on themselves this deserved and 
unprofitable loneliness, now, vainly mourn 
and murmur in the shadow of their desolation* 
What place was so much resorted to as Swan- 
sea, till lately ? but her attraction has ceased 
with the growth of extortion, and the bright 
days of Tenby are no m^ore. The town is com- 
paratively deserted by the visiting public; and 
the people there, with singular frankness, con- 
fess the justice of their doom, and own that 
their shameful and insatiable spirit of avarice 
has disgusted and driven them away, perhaps, 
forever. It will be confessed by them that 
when their town leaped into unexpected po- 
pularity, they became bewildered with their 
sudden fortune, and were ignorant what to ask 
for their houses, consequently required thrice 
as much as they ought ; and beyond what the 
most greedy votaries of exaction would have 
claimed, either at Brighton, Bath, or Chelten- 
ham. We have heard of two guineas per week 
being asked at Tenby, for a very ordinary 
back parlour and bedroom., obscurely situate ; 
and on the infamous term.s being acceded to, 
the wretched proprietor, in the true spirit of 
unslakeable selfishness has lamented that he 
did not extort an additional guinea ! 



187 

Let Aberystwyth, in the youth of her pros- 
perity, think of this, and by shunning the 
faults, avoid the fates of those towns ; and be 
assured 

" I have spoken 
Most bitter truths, but without bitterness ; ' 
Nor deem my zeal nor factious, nor mistimed." 

Roads may be cut, houses built, piers erected, 
hills levelled, and hollows filled, and every 
species of improvement perfected, that taste 
can suggest, or liberality complete — in vain— 
absolutely in vain ! if the base and grinding 
spirit of Extortion is once suffered to get root. 
It will gain ground and undermine the noblest 
foundations public spirit can lay, and crumble 
to dust the fairest piles of human ingenuity. 

The vampire-spirit of Extortion is the foul- 
est fiend of Lucre, and feeds on its victim's 
blood securely ; unimpeded by the legal bars 
that bound the progress of other atrocities. 
Theft has its gallows, murder its gibbet, and 
suicide its nameless grave amid the cross roads, 
but Extortion is a chartered villain ; and al- 
though allied to meanness, cowardice, and 
robbery, the blood-sucker assum.es the name of 
Thrift, and is sheltered from their disgrace by 



188 



the intervention of dishonest wealth. But the 
disguised felon shall not escape ; while public 
indignation has a brand to wield, it shall hiss 
with fire on his shameless front, and deeply 
indent the blazing characters of his infamy. 

ON THE NAMES OF STREETS, &c. AT 
ABERYSTWYTH. 

We have had occasion in the course of this 
work, to censure the bad taste of borrowing 
names for streets and places from other towns 
— a subject here to be resumed. Strangers 
have justly expressed their disgust of such 
affected names as Belvue Cottage, Prospect 
Row, and Mount Pleasant, which occur in 
all bathing-towns, and create a dull and mo- 
notonous uniformity, utterly at variance with 
any pleasant sensation. But it excited a smile 
at the derisive pleasantry of a " St. James's 
Square" here, centrally ornamented with a 
blacksmith's shop, (which in the present spirit 
of improvement has been removed) ; and a 
"Gray's Inn Lane," scarcely wide enough to 
trundle a wheelbarrow, or to afford a free 
passage to a portly gentleman of any alder- 
manly rotundity. AberystAvyth is singularly 
original in appearance and situation, then why 



189 



should she be a plagiarist in what is needless, 
by adopting such hackneyed and charmless 
appellations ? Should it be asked what names 
could be found, we would refer the enquirer 
to the account here inserted of the inunda- 
tion of Cantrev y Gwaelod, or the history 
of Aberystwyth castle. In the former, such 
names occur as Mansua, Crickbeth, Caeriolyn, 
Pen-damon, Almuda, and others, which are 
original, national, and harmonious in'sound ; 
fitted either for the names of streets, squares, 
or terraces. The names of the rivers Ystwyth, 
Rheidol, Teivy, or Lery ; or of the estates of 
Gogerddan, Nanteos, Penglaise, &c. &c. might 
answer the same purpose. In the account of 
the castle are names of chieftains who flou- 
rished on the spot, which if applied to streets, 
would always refer to, and associate with, the 
history of the country ; promoting enquiries 
that would lead to interesting matters of in- 
formation. Such names, for instance, as Strong- 
bow, who built the first castle at Aberystwyth; 
Prince Griffith ap Rhys, Cynan, Cadwalader, 
Owen Gwyneth, Llewelyn, Owen Glyndower, 
&c. &c. The above appellations might also 
be given to race horses, and thereby familiarize 
our ears with the names of the ancient heroes 
of the Cymry. To those conversant with the 



190 

history of our country it would be amusing to 
witness ancient rivalry resumed in Prince Rhys 
against Gilbert Strongbow, Fleming against 
Briton, Owen Glyndower against David Gam, 
or Prince Henry, &c. &c. Great Dark-Gate 
Street and Little Dark-Gate Street, are the only 
ones here that retain their original designa- 
tions, being translated from the Welsh of Heol 
y Porth Tywyll mawr and Heol y Porth Ty- 
wyll bach. 

Having treated, v/e believe, of every thing 
worthy the attention of the visitor or native, it 
is now time to bring the Aberystwyth Guide to 
a close. Where information was to be gained 
the author has spared neither books nor men 
to fulfil his object ; and whatever may be the 
faults of the work, he trusts it will be found 
neither a vehicle for promoting the bickerings 
of party, nor to puff the interests of indivi- 
duals ; nor that he has withheld the insertion 
of any matter that had a tendency to the gene- 
ral good. With the conciousness of such good 
intentions at least, in his favour, he bids the 
reader 

Farewell. 

T. J. LL. PRICHARD. 



191 



MttHtal Men. 



Dr. Bonsall, North Parade 
Mr. Rathill, Pier Street 
Mr. Edwards, Queen Street 
Mr. Evans, Pier Street 



Dr. Rice Williams, Bridge 

Street 
Mr. Richard Williams, Great 

Dark-Gate Street 



Among the various acquisitions of Aberystwyth, none 
have worthier claims to public attention than the Dispensa- 
ries which have been established in the town. They are two 
in number, both situate in Great Dark-Gate Street, and sup-^ 
ported by voluntary contributions^ 



^olititot0* 



Messrs. James and Horatio 

Hughes 
Mr. William Jones 



Mr. John Hughes 
Mr. John Jones 



ifttagi0trate0. 



Rev. Richard Evans, B. D. 

Dr. Bonsall 

John Bonsallj Esq* 



Thomas Williams, Esq* 
William Tilsley Jones, Esq. 



The progressive growth of Aberystwyth, both in size and 
importance, may be traced to the singular circumstance, 
that in the year 1765 there was but one arrival of the Post 
in the week there, while at present, and many years since, 
the Post arrives and departs daily. 



Letters from London arrive every day about eight o'clock 
in the morning. 



192 



Letters to London are dispatched every day at five o'clock 
in the evening. 

Letters by the South Post are dispatched every Sunday, 
Wednesday, and Friday evenings, at ten o'clock, and ar- 
rive on the following days at half-past one o'clock in the 
afternoon. 

Letters by the North Post are dispatched every morning 
at half-past ten o'clock, and arrive at half-past twelve. 

The Post-Office is situate in Great Dark-Gate Street.— 
Post-Master, Mr. Williams. 

Monday, — The Duke of Wellington Coach leaves the 
Gogerddan Arms Inn for Shrewsbury, at four o'clock in the 
morning, and arrives at nine o'clock the same evening, 
during the summer season, by w ay of Machynlleth, Mallwyd, 
Cann-Office, Llanvair, and Welshpool. This Coach runs 
only on Fridays in winter. 

Tuesday. — The Union Coach leaves the Talbot Inn for 
Shrewsbury, at five o'clock in the morning, and arrives the 
same evening at seven, by way of the Devil's Bridge, Llan- 
idloes, Newtown, and' Welshpool. 

The RoTAL Sovereign Coach leaves the Gogerddan 
Arms Inn for Shrewsbury, at five o'clock in the morning, 
and arrives at seven o'clock the same evening, during the 
summer season, by way of Machynlleth, Llanbrynmair, 
Newtown, Montgomerjs and Worthing. This Coach runs 
only on Thursdays in winter. 

Wednesday. — The Leek Coach leaves the Gogerddan Arms 
Inn for Ludlow % at four o'clock in the morning, and arrives 
at eight the same evening, during the summer season, by way 
of Machynlleth, Llanbrynmair, Newtown, Montgomery, and 
Bishop's Castle. 



193 

The Ancient Briton leaves the Talbot Inn for Kington, 
at six o'clock in the morning, and arrives at half-past five in 
the evening, during the summer season, by way of the 
Devil's Bridge, Rhayader, and Penybont. 

Thursday. — The Rotal Sovereign, as on Tuesday. 

Friday. — The Duke of Wellington, as on Monday. 

The Ancient Briton, during the summer season, as on 
Wednesday. 

Saturday. — The Union, as on Tuesday. 

E. Hughes's Fly Van leaves the Swan Inn for Shrews- 
bury, every Monday & Thursday mornings, at two o'clock, 
and arrives from Shrewsbury on Wednesday and Saturday 
evenings at eight o'clock, by way of Yspytty, Llanidloes, 
Newtown, and Welshpool. 

Jones and Co.'s Stage Waggon to and from Shrewsbury 
once a week. 

T. Bowen, Carrier, to and from Carmarthen once a week. 

mi^Untm from ^tjerp0tuj^t$ to tfje 
foIloUJing i^lace^. 

With the different routes particularized. 



To Shrewsbury, by the DeviVs 
Bridge, 76 miles. 

Devil's Bridge 12 

Llanidloes 20 

Newtown 13 

Welshpool 13 

Shrewsbury 18 

76 



To Shrewsbury, by Machyn- 
lleth, 74 miles. 

Machynlleth 18 

Mallwyd 12 

Cann-Office 12 

Llanvair 7 

Welshpool 7 

Shrewsbury , 18 

74 



194 



To Shrewsbury hy Llanbryn- 
mair, (new coach road,) 77 
miles. 

Machynlleth 18 

Llanhrynmair 11 

Carno 7 

Newtown 11 

Montgomery 9 

Worthing 9 

Shrewsbury 12 

77 
To Chester fOO miles) and Li- 
verpool 015J through Bala. 

Machynlleth 18 

Dolgelley 16 

Bala . 18 

Corwen 13 

Llangollen 10 

Wrexham 12 

Chester 12 

99 
Liverpool 16 

115 

To Hereford 76 77iiles. 

Devil's Bridge 12 

Rhayader 18 

Penybont 10 

New Radnor 9 

Kington 7 

Hereford 20 

76 
To Llandrindod Wells 44 miles. 

Rhayader SO 

Penybont 10 

Llandrindod 4 

44 



To Carmarthen 51 miles. 

Aberayron 16 

Lampeter 13 

New Inn II 

Carmarthen 11 

51 
To Tenby 80 miles. 

Carmarthen 51 

St. Clear's 9 

Tavernspite 7 

Cold Blow 4 

Tenby 9 

80 
To 3Iilford Haven through 
Carmarthen 93 miles. 

Tavernspite 67 

Narberth 6 

Haverfordwest 10 

Milford 10 

93 
To Milford Haven through 
Cardigan lb miles. 

Aberayron 16 

Cardigan 23 

Haverfordwest 26 

Milford la 

75 
To Holyhead 100 miles, 

Machynlleth 18 

Dolgelley 16 

Tanybwlch IS 

Beddgelert 10 

Carnarvon 14 

Bangor 9 

Ferry to Anglesea & Ho- 
lyhead 25 



0CT5-IS#^ 



195 



To Swansea through Carmar- 
then 79 miles. 

Carmarthen 51 

Cross Hands Inn 14 

Pontarddulas 5 

Swansea 9 

79 
To Swansea through Llandilo 
66 mites. 

Lampeter 29 

Llandilo 14 

Swansea 23 

66 
To Cardigan 39 miles. 

Aberayron 16 

Cardigan , . 23 

39 
To Brecon (or Brecknock) hy 
Rhayader 60 miles. 

Devil's Bridge 12 

Pentre Brunant Inn 3 

Rhayader 15 

Builth (or Buallt^ 14 

Brecon 16 

60 



To Brecon by Llandovery 67 
miles. 

Aberayron 16 

Lampeter 13 

Llandovery 18 

Trecastle 9 

Brecon 11 

67 

To Barmouth by the Borth 
Sands (subject to the state of 
the tide) 26 miles. 

Borth 6 

Moelynys 3 

Aberdovey (ferry) 2 

Tovv'yn 4 

Barmouth 11 

26 

To Barmouth by Machynlleth 
46 miles. 

Dolgelley 34 

Barmouth 12 

46 



^ 



J. Cox, Printer, 

Great Dark-Gate Street, 

Aberystwyth. 



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